Energy storage properties of PVDF terpolymer/PMMA blends

Abstract

Dielectrics can be used to store electric energy in capacitors and high-energy density of the materials is desirable to reduce the size or weight of capacitors. To improve the energy storage properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene–chlorofluoroethylene) [P(VDF–TrFE–CFE)] terpolymer, P(VDF–TrFE–CFE)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends were investigated in this study. By adding a small amount of PMMA into PVDF terpolymer (<5 wt%), the dielectric breakdown field of the blends can be improved as a result of the enhancement of elastic modulus of the blends. For the blends with <2.5 wt% PMMA, though their dielectric properties are reduced, under the same electric field, the energy density of the blends is almost the same as that of PVDF terpolymer. Consequently, the energy storage performance of the terpolymer can be improved by blending with a small amount of PMMA.