Enhanced electromechanical performance of cellular polypropylene electrets charged at a high temperature

In order to enhance the electromechanical performance of polypropylene (PP) electrets, cellular PP electrets were heated during corona poling at a high temperature in order to accelerate its chemical structure change and increase the quantity of formed dipole within the electrets. We investigated the behaviour of surface potential decay after corona poling, and the results showed that corona poling at a high temperature can improve the charge retention of commercially used cellular PP. The results of thermally stimulated depolarization current indicated the different localized states of the electric charges in cellular PP electrets after corona poling. Then, enhanced electromechanical ability was measured by a deformation measurement system and large strain (about 5%) under a moderate applied electric field intensity (30 MV m-1) was obtained.