New ferroelectric and piezoelectric polymers

Recent investigations have led to the discovery of a new class of ferroelectric polymers-the odd-numbered nylons. X-ray diffraction and infrared absorbance (Fourier-transform infrared) studies of nylon 11 and nylon 7 films with 3-D orientation (texture) provided an understanding of the polarization process in these polymers. More importantly, these studies led to an electroprocessing technique which allowed for the stabilization of the polarization and, therefore, the piezoelectric response of these odd-numbered nylons to their crystallizatine melting points, which for nylon 5 is approximately 250 degrees C.<
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