Ferroelectric fluoropolymers containing vinylidene fluoride (VDF), trifluoroethylene (TrFE), andchlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) have been prepared over a wide composition range by a two-step approachconsisting of copolymerization of VDF and CTFE and a subsequent reductive dechlorination reaction. Due to thesimilar reactive ratios between VDF and CTFE and quantitative dechlorination yields, the chemical structuresand compositions of the resulting terpolymers can be precisely controlled. The structural characteristics includingmicrostructure, chain conformation, and crystallinity of the polymers have been carefully elucidated as a functionof the chemical composition by
1H and
19F NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and wide-angleX-ray diffraction. The influence of the polymer compositions on thermal transitions and dielectric constantshas also been investigated. A Curie temperature of 23
C and dielectric constant of 50 measured at ambienttemperature and 1 kHz have been achieved at the terpolymer composition of 78.8 mol % VDF, 14 mol % CTFE,and 7.2 mol % TrFE.