Effect of magnetic field on electrical properties of nanocrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) samples

BACKGROUND: The electrical properties of nanocrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) samples of 20 µm in thickness were measured in terms of thermally stimulated current (TSC), conduction current and dielectric constant after application of a magnetic field. RESULTS: TSC shows the release of trapped charges inside the material that enhances the current with magnetic field. The reason for the polarity reversal of the current with reversal of the magnetic field polarity is due to the change in spin of electrons depending upon the direction of the magnetic field. CONCLUSION: The magnetic field causes trapping of charge carriers in different traps, as the reason for the increase of activation energy with increasing field. The flow of conduction current at constant temperature in magnetically polarized PVDF is governed by Poole–Frenkel and Schottky–Richardson mechanisms. The decrease in dielectric constant at a certain alternating current (AC) frequency and magnetic field with temperature is caused by magnetic polarization in addition to the AC field. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry