Synthesis and characterization of SmFeO3 and its effect on the electrical and energy storage properties of PVDF

Here we report an anomalous electrical properties and energy storage performance of SmFeO3-Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (SFO-PVDF) composites fabricated by a simple solvent casting technique with SmFeO3 concentration varying from 1 to 10 wt% with respect to PVDF content. Dielectric permittivity and ferroelectric parameters of PVDF initially decreased for 1 wt% SmFeO3 incorporation and then started increasing with further increase of SFO concentration. However, in contrary to our expectation, all the composites exhibited lower values of dielectric permittivity compared to neat PVDF. The observed unexpected trend of variation of dielectric permittivity and electric displacement was explained by considering a local electric field approximation model followed by the mechanism of polymer chain movement and dipole orientation of PVDF.