DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY OF THE PROCESSING OF VF2 VF3 COPOLYMERS/

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), VF2/VF3 random copolymers have been noted to exhibit ferroelectricity. To obtain a high level o f piezoelectrical activity it is necessary for the copolymer to underg o additional processing. In this study differential scanning calorimet ry (DSC) was used to follow the processing of this material for 81/19 and 76/24 mol% compositions. Although DSC peak parameters were found t o show a relationship with piezoelectrical activity a leveling effect was noted. Additionally a cold crystallization effect was noted. This effect can be explained if one assumes the paraelectric phase to be a condis crystal transition. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.