Chapter Four

Pyroelectric Materials
• A dielectric material is an electrical insulator, which has the capacity of stopping
the flow of current through it.
• They are classified into Centro symmetric materials and piezoelectric materials,
• Further piezoelectric is classified as non-pyroelectrics and pyroelectrics, pyro
electrics are further classified as non-ferroelectrics and ferroelectrics.
• Pyroelectric material was discovered in the early 20th century by a Greek
scientist.
• The name pyroelectricity is derived from Greek where pyro means fire and
electricity.
• It is a general property of certain crystal which are polarized to obtain large
electric field.
• These pyroelectric materials are hard in nature and crystalline.
 Pyroelectric Material
• Pyroelectricity or pyroelectric material is an electric response of polar
dielectric with a change in temperature.
• If the temperature in return changes it causes the movement of atoms from
there neutral position hence the polarization of the material changes, we
observe a voltage across the material.
• This effect is temporary now suppose the temperature remains constant at its
new value.
• The pyroelectric voltage becomes zero due to the leakage current.
• So, within this same temperature limits, the charges developed by the effect of
heating or cooling are equal and opposite.
 Pyroelectric cont…
• Pyroelectric materials exhibit spontaneous polarization that is polarization in the
absence of electric field, this cannot be changed or reversed on applying the
electric field it does so in ferroelectric materials.
• Hence all pyro electro materials are also piezoelectric.
• The piezoelectric materials have a certain kind of piezoelectric crystal that does
not allow pyroelectricity.
• Hence pyroelectric effect takes place below the 1070 degree F curie temperature
• When the material is heated above curie temperature 1070-degree F the atoms
come back to their equilibrium positions.
• The electrocaloric effect is considered as a physical inverse of the pyroelectric
effect.
 List of Pyroelectric Materials
Some of the pyroelectric materials are listed below
• Tourmaline
• Gallium nitride
• Cesium nitrate (CsNO3)
• Polyvinyl fluorides
• Derivatives of phenyl pyridine
• Cobalt phthalocyanine
• Lithium tantalite (LiTaO3).

• Read more about these materials

 Comparison between Pyro Electricity and Thermo Electricity
• The electrocaloric effect is the phenomenon in which the material shows
the reversible temperature change on the applied electric field.
• Pyroelectricity is different from thermoelectricity.
• Pyro crystal changes temperature from one degree to another resulting in
a temporary voltage across the crystal.
• Thermoelectricity the two ends of the device are subjected to two
different temperatures resulting in a permanent voltage in the device
resulting in as there is the temperature difference.
Difference between Piezoelectric, Pyroelectric and Ferroelectric Materials
Difference between Piezoelectric, Pyroelectric and Ferroelectric Materials
Pyroelectric Materials Application
 Think about other
practical application
areas???

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