Flexoelectricity in several thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers

The flexoelectricity of several thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers was investigated by testing the dielectric polarization response under bending deformation of polymer cantilevers. All the polymers studied showed a flexoelectric response with a flexoelectric coefficient of the order of the 10(-9)-10(-8) C/m. Based on a comparison of the flexoelectric response of the different polymers studied, we discuss factors that may influence the generation of flexoelectricity in polymeric materials. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4750064]