Direct measurement of electrocaloric effect in P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) film using infrared imaging

Poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) is a relaxor ferroelectric polymer, which exhibits a temperature-independent electrocaloric effect at room temperature. In this work, the electrocaloric effect in P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) film was directly analysed using infrared imaging. P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) 64.8%/27.4%/7.8% (in mole) film of (15 +/- 1) mu m thickness was deposited on polyethylene naphthalate substrate. Direct ECE of P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) film was measured from 15 to 35 degrees C at different electric fields. A maximum adiabatic temperature change (ATad) of 3.58 K was measured during the cooling cycle at a field of 100 V/mu m at 30 degrees C. Finite element analysis of temperature dissipation through the sample estimated that the actual temperature change within P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) film was 4.3 K. Despite the thermal mass of the substrate, a substantial ECE was observed in P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) films. This electrocaloric terpolymer composition could be of interest for electrocaloric cooling applications.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Chinese Ceramic Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

In this study, the electrocaloric effect of P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) film was directly analyzed using infrared imaging. The results showed that P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) exhibited a temperature-independent electrocaloric effect at room temperature. A maximum adiabatic temperature change of 3.58 K was measured during the cooling cycle at a field of 100 V/μm at 30°C. Despite the thermal mass of the substrate, a significant electrocaloric effect was observed in P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) films. This terpolymer composition could be of interest for electrocaloric cooling applications.