Ferroelectric copolymers and terpolymers for electrostrictors: synthesis and properties

Semicrystalline terpolymers comprising vinylidene fluoride (VDF), trifluoroethylene (TrFE), and 1,1-chlorofluoroethylene (CFE), terpolymers were prepared via a suspension polymerization process. For two specific compositions, relevant relaxor properties as well as high dielectric permittivity have been observed. More importantly, very large electrostrictive strains ( /spl sim/ 7%) were achieved in these terpolymers.