Thermal hysteresis in the permittivity and polarization of lead zirconate titanate/vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene 0-3 composites

The permittivities of 70/30 vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer and lead zirconate titanate/vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene 0-3 composites have been measured at 1 kHz over the temperature range of 20 to 120/spl deg/C. Thermal hysteresis was observed for the 0-3 composites and abrupt changes in the permittivities occurred at different temperatures upon heating and cooling. Good agreement was found between the measured permittivities and the predictions of the Bruggeman model. Implications of the thermal hysteresis behavior on the poling of 0-3 composites are also discussed.