Thin poly(ionic liquid) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) blend films with ferro‐ and piezo‐electric polar γ‐crystals

ABSTRACT Ferro‐ and piezo‐electric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) thin film is reported to be obtained by using a poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) [poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) methyl chloride quaternary salt] through solution route. The short range interactions between localized cationic ions of PIL and polar >CF2 of PVDF are responsible for modified polar γ‐PVDF (T3GT3Ḡ) formation. Modification in chain conformation of PVDF is confirmed by FTIR, XRD, and DSC studies suggesting the miscible PVDF–PIL (PPIL) blend. Up to 40 wt % loading of PIL in PVDF matrix enhances relative intensity of γ‐phase up to 50% in the entire crystalline phase. The P‐E hysteresis loop of PVDF‐PIL blends at 25 wt % PIL loading (PPIL‐25) thin film at sweep voltage of ±50 V shows excellent ferroelectric property with nearly saturated high remnant polarization ∼6.0 µC cm−2 owing to large proportion of γ‐PVDF. However, non‐polar pure PVDF thin film shows unsaturated hysteresis loop with 1.4 µC cm−2 remnant polarization. The operation voltage decreases effectively because of the polar γ‐phase formation in PPIL blended film. High‐sensitivity piezo‐response force microscopy shows electromechanical switching property at low voltages in PPIL‐25 thin films through local switching measurements, making them potentially suitable as ferroelectric tunnel barriers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 795–802 The first ever appropriate ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)–poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) (PPIL) blend thin film using a specific PIL is reported. The short range interactions between localized cationic ions of PIL and polar CF2 of PVDF are responsible for modified polar γ PVDF (T3GT3Ḡ) formation. High‐sensitivity ferro‐ and piezo‐response show high remnant polarization and electromechanical switching property at low voltages in PPIL‐25 thin films, respectively, making them potentially suitable as ferroelectric tunnel barriers.