HYSTERESIS MEASUREMENTS OF REMANENT POLARIZATION AND COERCIVE FIELD IN POLYMERS

An experimental method is described which allows estimation of remanent polarization and coercive field without assuming functional forms for the capacitive and electrical resistance terms. The method can be used to measure polarization in specimens with voltage-dependent conductivity (often arising from the presence of ions in the specimens), voltage-dependent capacitance, and significant amounts of space charge. It consists of. (1) performing bipolar current/voltage hysteresis loops to allow a steady state of remanent polarization and space charge to build up in the specimen, and (2) following a bipolar loop with two or more unipolar loops in which the polarization changes in the first unipolar loop. Both sinusoidal and linear time-dependent applied voltages may be used. Automatic data processing of hysteresis loops is described for cases in which specimen behavior may be considered to be ideal.