Characterisation of proton irradiated Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3/P(VDF-TrFE) ceramic–polymer composites

Abstract Barium strontium titanate/poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)70/30 (Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3/P(VDF-TrFE) 70/30) composite with high dielectric permittivity was developed by integrating high dielectric permittivity ceramic powder with proton irradiated polymer matrix. The composite after irradiation behaves as a relaxor ferroelectric material and this behaviour is similar to that of irradiated P(VDF-TrFE) 70/30 co-polymer. Due to the irradiation, dielectric peaks broadened and moved towards the lower temperature, creating high relative permittivity values in a broad temperature range. Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3/P(VDF-TrFE) composite with 0.5 ceramic volume fraction with a dosage of 80 Mrad can reach a relative permittivity of ∼160 at room temperature (at 1 kHz), which is about 14 times higher than that of pure copolymer. Polarization-electric field hysteresis loops of composites are strongly depended on the ceramic powder volume fraction and the effects of irradiation is less apparent in composites with higher ceramic powder volume fraction.