In this review the physical properties, mechanisms and models are revi
ewed which explain the high piezoelectricity of the ferroelectric poly
mers of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) family, the odd nylons, the
vinylidene cyanide (VDCN) copolymers and polyurea. Because PVDF and i
ts copolymers with trifluoroethylene (TrFE) and tetrafluoroethylene (T
FE) have been studied extensively in the last 25 years the main part o
f the review deals with these polymers. Additionally a short summary o
f the different piezoelectric applications of PVDF is presented. The o
dd nylons, the VDCN copolymers and the polyurea are compared with PVDF
to show the different stabilization mechanisms of the remanent polari
zation and the different temperature behavior of the piezoelectricity.
This review not only concentrates on the work done in the last few ye
ars but in order to describe the behavior of these polymers in detail,
it is necessary to go back to the roots. Therefore many articles from
the late seventies and early eighties are included.