Unraveling the morphological diversity of P(VDF-ter-TrFE-ter-CTFE) semi-crystalline terpolymers via combined AFM and SAXS experiments

In this article, the diverse morphologies observed after annealing or crystallization from melt in P(VDF-ter-TrFE-ter-CTFE) terpolymers with varying CTFE amounts were explained through a combination of AFM and SAXS experiments. The very significant and, so far, unexplained evolution spectra above Curie transition was interpreted by formation, during annealing, semi-crystalline domains without crystalline lamellar period. obtained also coexistence two periodic stacks (with period around 30–40 nm 14–18 nm) shown. Low cooling rates create long thick well-defined orientation, while high thinner shorter domains, predominant orientation. images showed that organization lamellae period, LP, 15 is maintained, regardless process used (solvent cast, annealed, melt-crystallized). combined AFM/SAXS method study can be applied to other polymers.