Oriented polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) films by Langmuir-Blodgett deposition: a synchrotron X-ray diffraction study

W R Lindemann; R L Philiph; D W W Chan; C T Ayers; E M Perez; S P Beckman; J Strzalka; S Chaudhary; D Vaknin

doi:10.1039/c5cp04307g

Oriented polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) films by Langmuir-Blodgett deposition: a synchrotron X-ray diffraction study

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015 Nov 21;17(43):29335-9. doi: 10.1039/c5cp04307g.

Authors

W R Lindemann¹, R L Philiph², D W W Chan³, C T Ayers³, E M Perez⁴, S P Beckman⁵, J Strzalka⁶, S Chaudhary³, D Vaknin⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA and Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA 50011, USA. vaknin@ameslab.gov.
² Department of Materials Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA and Department Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
³ Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
⁴ Department of Materials Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
⁵ Department of Materials Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA and School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
⁶ X-Ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA.
⁷ Ames National Laboratory, Ames, IA 50011, USA. vaknin@ameslab.gov and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

PMID: 26473177
DOI: 10.1039/c5cp04307g

Abstract

Langmuir-Blodgett films of polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene - P(VDF-TrFE)-copolymers possess substantially improved electrocaloric and pyroelectric properties, when compared with conventionally spin-cast films. In order to rationalize this, we prepared single-layered films of P(VDF-TrFE) (70 : 30) using both deposition techniques. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), reveals that Langmuir-Blodgett deposited films have a higher concentration of the ferroelectric β-phase crystals, and that these films are highly oriented with respect to the substrate. Based on these observations, we suggest alternative means of deposition, which may substantially enhance the electrocaloric effect in P(VDF-TrFE) films. This development has significant implications for the potential use of P(VDF-TrFE) in solid-state refrigeration.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated / chemistry*
Polyvinyls / chemistry*
X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
Polyvinyls
polyvinylidene fluoride
trifluoroethene