Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy for detecting and evaluating structure-property relations in a P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) relaxor-ferroelectric terpolymer

Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS) is employed as an effective tool to study relaxation processes and phase transitions of a poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) relaxor-ferroelectric (R-F) terpolymer in detail. Measurements of the non-linear dielectric permittivity $${\varepsilon _{2}^{'}}$$ ε 2 ′ reveal peaks at 30 and 80$$\,^\circ$$ ∘ C that cannot be identified in conventional dielectric spectroscopy. By combining the results from NLDS experiments with those from other techniques such as thermally stimulated depolarization and dielectric-hysteresis studies, it is possible to explain the processes behind the additional peaks. The former peak, which is associated with the mid-temperature transition, is found in all other vinylidene fluoride-based polymers and may help to understand the non-zero $$\varepsilon _\mathrm {2}^{'}$$ ε 2 ′ values that are detected on the paraelectric phase of the terpolymer. The latter peak can also be observed during cooling of P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer samples at 100$$\,^\circ$$ ∘ C and is due to conduction and space-charge polarization as a result of the accumulation of real charges at the electrode–sample interface.