Effect of electron irradiation on poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) 56/44 mol% copolymers

High-energy electron-irradiated poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) 56/44 mol% copolymers are studied in a broad dose ranging from 0 to 110 Mrad. The experimental results are obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffraction, dielectric constant, dc conductivity and polarization hysteresis loop based on structural changes and dielectric relaxation behaviour. All the x-ray and DSC results show that both the crystalline and polar ordering decreased after irradiation, indicating a partial recovery from trans-gauche bonds to local trans bonds (polar ordering). The dielectric relaxation peaks, obeying the Vogel-Fulcher Law, indicate that the copolymers have transformed from a normal ferroelectric to a relaxor ferroelectric. It is also found that dc conductivity can be modulated with electron irradiation, as well as the hysteresis loop characteristics