Electrization of LiNbO₃-PLGA composite interfaces

The presence of macroscopic spontaneous polarization in a material gives rise to ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and pyroelectric properties, providing excellent opportunities for electrically charging the material and converting energy into electricity through relatively simple manipulations. The ability to impart such properties to other materials may significantly broaden the applications of ferro-/piezo-/pyroelectrics across a wide range of fields. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of creating an interface with macroscopic polarization based on a non-polar poly(D,l-lactide-co-glycolide) substrate and lithium niobate particles. Under an external electric field, the particles self-orient on the substrate, and a composite interface is formed after dissolution of the substrate. The obtained interface exhibits distinct pyroelectric properties and enables the generation of electrical pulses in response to moderate temperature changes. The interface morphology and the influence of temperature variation parameters on electrization are strongly dependent on the size of the lithium niobate particles.