https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.08790
Material which polarizes when exposed to an external electric field, because it creates its own internal electric field oriented against the external field.
Notes:
- Dielectrics are divided into polar and nonpolar. The polar ones contain dipolar groups and their poling (polarization process) consists in the orientation of these dipoles by an external electric field. It is the so-called orientation polarization, which can but may not be complete due to competitive thermal motion. Poling of some polar dielectrics such as fluoropolymers gives materials with a stabilized polarized structure known as electrets. Poling of a non-polar dielectric is always temporary since it consists in displacements of electrons (electronic polarization) or ions in crystals (ionic polarization) giving induced dipoles that decay immediately after the removal of the field.
- Dielectrics are key materials for the construction of capacitors.
See also: polarization density