Polar elastic dielectric of large electrocaloric effect and deformation

•This paper develops a thermodynamic theory of polar elastic dielectric.•Mechanical behavior of polar elastic dielectric is analyzed.•Typical thermodynamics cycles are described as cooling devices and generators.•Thermo-electro-mechanical coupling behavior undergoing phase transition is investigated.

The alternation of temperature and entropy induced by an electric field in a polar dielectric material is known as the electrocaloric effect (ECE). This paper develops a thermodynamic theory of the polar elastic dielectric with large ECE and large deformation compatibility. The theory characterizes the equilibrium condition of the polar elastic dielectric which is subjected to mechanical forces, electric field and thermal field. The mechanical behavior and large deformation of the polar elastic dielectric thermo-electro-mechanical system are analyzed under the coupling influence of hyperelastic, polarization, electrostriction and thermal contribution on the system. The typical thermodynamics cycles of the polar elastic dielectric are described as cooling devices and generators and the electrocaloric and pyroelectric energy conversion are calculated. Ferroelectric polymer, as an important category of electroactive polymers, is a typical polar dielectric with a large ECE and a large deformation. As an example, when subjected to different voltage, the ferroelectric polymers are regarded as cooling devices. We calculated their temperature change, entropy change, heat absorptions and work generation. We also calculated the voltage change, electric quantity change and work of the ferroelectric polymer which is regarded as generators when subjected to different temperatures. Finally, we investigated the thermo-electro-mechanical coupling behavior of the ferroelectric polymers undergoing ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition.