Electrical behaviour of PMN–PT–PVDF nanocomposite

Abstract

Nanocomposites of polyvinyldene fluoride (PVDF) and a solid solution of lead magnesium niobate and lead titanate (0.65PMN–0.35PT) with varying composition ratios were prepared by the hot-press technique. The phase structure and morphology were studied by thermal analysis (DTA), x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The PVDF sample showed an exothermic peak due to the crystallization of the PVDF phase, but with the addition of PMN–PT powders an extra peak appeared due to the crystallization of the pyrochlore phase present in the PMN–PT powder. The crystallite size of the prepared samples was found to be between 40 and 60 nm. The value of the relative permittivity increased with the increase in the ceramic concentration. The presence of a single semicircle confirmed the presence of the bulk effect only. The bulk conductivity indicated an Arrhenius type thermally activated process. The ac conductivity spectrum obeyed the Jonscher power law.