Fluorine-free polymers set a new benchmark for ferroelectrics

Wentao Yao; Mingli Liang; Sasa Wang; Qiang Zhao

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/25080021

J. Semicond. > 2025, Volume 46 > Issue 10 > 100401

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Fluorine-free polymers set a new benchmark for ferroelectrics

Wentao Yao¹, Mingli Liang^2,, Sasa Wang^1, and Qiang Zhao^{1, 2,}

+ Author Affiliations

1. College of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
2. State Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics & Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China

Author Bio:

Wentao Yao is an undergraduate student under supervision of Prof. Qiang Zhao and Prof. Sasa Wang at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications. He is currently focusing on the design and synthesis of ferroelectric semiconductors, and their applications in self-powered photodetectors and electro-cooling devices.

Mingli Liang is an associate professor at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications. He received his Ph.D. degree (2021) from the Technical University of Denmark. Subsequently, he conducted postdoctoral research at Lund University and the University of Houston. His current research focuses on the design and development of advanced optoelectronic materials.

Sasa Wang is a full professor at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications. She obtained her Ph.D. degree from Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2020), followed by postdoctoral research at Prof. Edward H. Sargent’s group at University of Toronto (2023) and Prof. David B. Mitzi’s group at Duke University (2024). She mainly focuses on the design of ferroelectric semiconductors for advanced optoelectronic applications.

Qiang Zhao received his PhD degree in 2007 from Fudan University. He then became a postdoctoral fellow at Nagoya University of Japan. He joined Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications in 2008. He was promoted as a full professor in 2010. His research area is organic and flexible electronics.

Corresponding author: Mingli Liang, iammlliang@njupt.edu.cn; Sasa Wang, wangsasa@njupt.edu.cn; Qiang Zhao, iamqzhao@njupt.edu.cn

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25080021CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.25080021

References

[1]	Zhang M, Lan S, Yang B B, et al. Ultrahigh energy storage in high-entropy ceramic capacitors with polymorphic relaxor phase. Science, 2024, 384(6692), 185 doi: 10.1126/science.adl2931
[2]	Wu H X, Zhu Y, Yan W Z, et al. A self-regenerative heat pump based on a dual-functional relaxor ferroelectric polymer. Science, 2024, 386(6721), 546 doi: 10.1126/science.adr2268
[3]	Liu Y, Zhou Y, Qin H C, et al. Electro-thermal actuation in percolative ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites. Nat Mater, 2023, 22, 873 doi: 10.1038/s41563-023-01564-7
[4]	Lovinger A J. Ferroelectric polymers. Science, 1983, 220(4602), 1115 doi: 10.1126/science.220.4602.1115
[5]	Qian X S, Chen X, Zhu L, et al. Fluoropolymer ferroelectrics: Multifunctional platform for polar-structured energy conversion. Science, 2023, 380(6645), eadg0902 doi: 10.1126/science.adg0902
[6]	Saxena P, Shukla P. A comprehensive review on fundamental properties and applications of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Adv Compos Hybrid Mater, 2021, 4(1), 8 doi: 10.1007/s42114-021-00217-0
[7]	Liu F, Hashim N A, Liu Y T, et al. Progress in the production and modification of PVDF membranes. J Membr Sci, 2011, 375(1/2), 1
[8]	Kikuchi H, Matsukizono H, Iwamatsu K, et al. Fluid layered ferroelectrics with global ${C_{\infty v}}$ symmetry. Adv Sci, 2022, 9, e2202048 doi: 10.1002/advs.202202048
[9]	Chen X, Martinez V, Nacke P, et al. Observation of a uniaxial ferroelectric smectic A phase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2022, 119(47), e2210062119 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2210062119
[10]	Li J X, Nishikawa H, Kougo J, et al. Development of ferroelectric nematic fluids with giant-ε dielectricity and nonlinear optical properties. Sci Adv, 2021, 7(17), eabf5047 doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abf5047
[11]	Huang J H, Rui G C, Yan Y M, et al. Fluorine-free strongly dipolar polymers exhibit tunable ferroelectricity. Science, 2025, 389(6755), 69 doi: 10.1126/science.ads4702
[12]	Chen X, Qin H C, Qian X S, et al. Relaxor ferroelectric polymer exhibits ultrahigh electromechanical coupling at low electric field. Science, 2022, 375(6587), 1418 doi: 10.1126/science.abn0936
[13]	Qian X S, Han D L, Zheng L R, et al. High-entropy polymer produces a giant electrocaloric effect at low fields. Nature, 2021, 600(7890), 664 doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04189-5

Fig. 1. Ferro-/relaxor ferroelectricity in FE-/RFE-2SO₂P. (a) Chemical structures of (ⅰ) FE (FE-2SO₂P) and (ⅱ) RFE (RFE-2SO₂P) polymers, showing two parallel sulfonyl dipoles in the side chain with a C3 spacer. (b) Two-dimensional XRD fiber patterns of FE-2SO₂P and RFE-2SO₂P melt-drawn fibers at 25 °C. (c) and (d) Bipolar electric displacement–electric field loops of (c) FE-2SO₂P and (d) RFE-2SO₂P. (d) (Inset) A gradual decrease of P_r with temperature. (e) Measured ΔS values of RFE-2SO₂P measured under different electric fields at RT. (Inset) Infrared images for temperature changes during an on–off poling cycle under 40 MV∙m^–1 at RT^[11].

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

[1]	Zhang M, Lan S, Yang B B, et al. Ultrahigh energy storage in high-entropy ceramic capacitors with polymorphic relaxor phase. Science, 2024, 384(6692), 185 doi: 10.1126/science.adl2931
[2]	Wu H X, Zhu Y, Yan W Z, et al. A self-regenerative heat pump based on a dual-functional relaxor ferroelectric polymer. Science, 2024, 386(6721), 546 doi: 10.1126/science.adr2268
[3]	Liu Y, Zhou Y, Qin H C, et al. Electro-thermal actuation in percolative ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites. Nat Mater, 2023, 22, 873 doi: 10.1038/s41563-023-01564-7
[4]	Lovinger A J. Ferroelectric polymers. Science, 1983, 220(4602), 1115 doi: 10.1126/science.220.4602.1115
[5]	Qian X S, Chen X, Zhu L, et al. Fluoropolymer ferroelectrics: Multifunctional platform for polar-structured energy conversion. Science, 2023, 380(6645), eadg0902 doi: 10.1126/science.adg0902
[6]	Saxena P, Shukla P. A comprehensive review on fundamental properties and applications of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Adv Compos Hybrid Mater, 2021, 4(1), 8 doi: 10.1007/s42114-021-00217-0
[7]	Liu F, Hashim N A, Liu Y T, et al. Progress in the production and modification of PVDF membranes. J Membr Sci, 2011, 375(1/2), 1
[8]	Kikuchi H, Matsukizono H, Iwamatsu K, et al. Fluid layered ferroelectrics with global ${C_{\infty v}}$ symmetry. Adv Sci, 2022, 9, e2202048 doi: 10.1002/advs.202202048
[9]	Chen X, Martinez V, Nacke P, et al. Observation of a uniaxial ferroelectric smectic A phase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2022, 119(47), e2210062119 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2210062119
[10]	Li J X, Nishikawa H, Kougo J, et al. Development of ferroelectric nematic fluids with giant-ε dielectricity and nonlinear optical properties. Sci Adv, 2021, 7(17), eabf5047 doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abf5047
[11]	Huang J H, Rui G C, Yan Y M, et al. Fluorine-free strongly dipolar polymers exhibit tunable ferroelectricity. Science, 2025, 389(6755), 69 doi: 10.1126/science.ads4702
[12]	Chen X, Qin H C, Qian X S, et al. Relaxor ferroelectric polymer exhibits ultrahigh electromechanical coupling at low electric field. Science, 2022, 375(6587), 1418 doi: 10.1126/science.abn0936
[13]	Qian X S, Han D L, Zheng L R, et al. High-entropy polymer produces a giant electrocaloric effect at low fields. Nature, 2021, 600(7890), 664 doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04189-5