Dielectric breakdown driven by flexoelectric and piezoelectric charge generation as hotspot ignition mechanism in aluminized fluoropolymer films

Using multiphysics simulations and experiments, we demonstrate that dielectric breakdown due to electric charge accumulation can lead sufficient hotspot development leading the initiation of chemical reactions in P(VDF-TrFE)/nAl films comprising a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) binder nano-aluminum particles. The field (E-field) material is driven by flexoelectric piezoelectric responses polymer mechanical loading. A two-step sequential multi-timescale multi-physics framework for explicit microscale computational experiments developed used. First, mechanically E-field analyzed using fully coupled mechanical–electrostatic model over microsecond timescale. Subsequently, transient process thermal–electrodynamic nanosecond temperature resulting from establish conditions onset self-sustained reactions. results temperatures well above ignition be generated. Both analyses show flexoelectricity plays primary role piezoelectricity secondary role. In particular, time pre-ignition poled (possessing both flexoelectricity) are ∼10% shorter than those unpoled only flexoelectricity).