Anomalous apparent conductivity of PVDF and PT:P(VDF-TrFE) composites

Anomalous decrease of the apparent conductivity has been observed during sandwich electrode and corona poling of PVDF and PT:P(VDF-TrFE) representing heterogeneous ferroelectric polymers and polymer/ceramic composites. It has been shown that the phenomenon accompanies the build-up of the ferroelectric polarization in the materials and explained by a massive trapping of charge carriers at boundaries of the ferroelectric species and at the transition zones where a gradient of polarization exists. The trapped charge contributes to stability of the ferroelectric polarization, since it compensates the depolarizing field.