High-dielectric-constant all-polymer percolative composites

We report here an all-polymer high-dielectric (dielectric constant K>1000 at 1 kHz) percolative composite material, fabricated by a combination of conductive polyaniline particles (K>10(5)) within a poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) terpolymer matrix (K>50). These high-K polymer hybrid materials also exhibit high electromechanical responses. For example, 1.5% strain, which is proportional to the square of the field applied, can be induced by a field of 9.5 MV/m, an eightfold reduction in field applied compared with that in a fluoroterpolymer matrix. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.