Pyroelectricity and Induced Pyroelectric Polarization in Leaves of the Palmlike Plant Encephalartos villosus.

Quantitative pyroelectric measurements were made on the leaves of the palmlike plant Encephalartos. A pyroelectric response almost 50 times higher than the normal one could be induced by a small bias electric field, offering a means for highly increasing the efficiency of conversion of thermal to electrical energy. No evidence of ferroelectricity was found.