Effects of Proton Irradiation on the Ferroelectric to Paraelectric Transition of Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3/P(VDF-TrFE) 0–3 Composites

Abstract

(Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3)/P(VDF-TrFE)70/30 composites were irradiated with different dosages of 3 MeV protons. The XRD (X-ray diffraction) patterns exhibit a gradual increase in inter-chain spacing and decrease of ferroelectric domain size with the increase in proton dosage. At higher proton dosages, a significant decrease in TSDC (thermally stimulated depolarization current) peak corresponds to ferroelectric to paraelectric (F-P) transition was observed and at a high dosage of 100 Mrad, the peak value is so low that only a straight line was observed. The DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) thermograms of irradiated composites show decreased peak temperatures and enthalpy with the increase of proton dosage. Due to proton irradiation, dielectric peaks have broadened and moved towards lower temperature with increasing frequency.