Piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity of polyvinylidene fluoride corona‐poled at elevated temperature

X-ray diffraction, thermally stimulated depolarization, and piezoelectric and pyroelectric current measurements have been carried out on biaxially oriented polyvinylidene fluoride film, corona-poled both negatively and positively, at elevated temperature. Larger piezoelectric and pyroelectric coefficients are obtained at lower values of the poling field, when corona charging takes place at elevated temperature rather than room temperature. Negative charging is more effective than positive. The polarization mechanism is dipole alignment, and a conversion of Form-II crystallites to Form I. The large space-charge injected by the corona, and trapped in the material, acts through creation of high internal fields, and shows little, if any, piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects of its own.