High-Temperature Ferroelectric Behaviors Of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-Trifluoroethylene) Copolymer Ultrathin Films With Electroactive Interlayers

The high-temperature ferroelectric behaviors for poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymer ultrathin films with electroactive interlayers have been studied. The different electroactive polymers, commercial poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonic) acid (PEDOT-PSSH), in situ synthesized PEDOT-PSSH with high PEDOT ratio and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonic) ammonia (PEDOT-PSSNH4), are used as the interlayer between P(VDF-TrFE) and metal electrodes. It is found that the ferroelectric properties at high temperature are strongly dependent on the interlayer and the faster degradation occurs on the sample with the interlayer which has enough protons as compensating charges. Further analysis on the polarization response behaviors and capacitance shows that the high-temperature ferroelectric properties are more closely associated with the compensating charges in interlayer than the ferroelectric film itself, illustrating the importance of the appropriate interlayer materials. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3699051]