Interfacial origin of dielectric constant enhancement in high-temperature polymer dilute nanocomposites

The origin of dielectric constant enhancement in high-temperature (high glass transition temperature Tg) polymer dilute nanocomposites is investigated via Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy applied through Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The dielectric constant can be greatly enhanced by trace nanofiller loadings (<0.5 vol. %) in a broad class of high-temperature polymers without affecting or even with a positive influence on breakdown strength and dielectric loss. This avenue provides attractive polymer systems for high-performance polymer-based capacitive energy storage in a wide temperature range. In the dilute nanocomposites, the interface regions between the polymers and trace nanofillers are the key to the observed dielectric constant enhancement. This Letter employs AFM-IR to study chain packing in the interface regions of polyetherimide (PEI) dilute nanocomposites. The experimental results and DFT calculations indicate that flexible linkages, i.e., ether groups in PEI, play a crucial role in inducing heterogeneous morphologies in the interface regions. These results are confirmed by studies of PI(PDMA/ODA) and other dilute polymer nanocomposites in the literature as well as by lack of dielectric constant enhancement in PI(Matrimid® 5218) that does not contain flexible linkages.

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in [Interfacial origin of dielectric constant enhancement in high-temperature polymer dilute nanocomposites. Applied Physics Letters 122, 21 (2023)] and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0143938.

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Work Title Interfacial origin of dielectric constant enhancement in high-temperature polymer dilute nanocomposites
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Xin Chen
  2. Hancheng Qin
  3. Yang Liu
  4. Yen Ting Lin
  5. Bing Zhang
  6. Wenchang Lu
  7. Seong H. Kim
  8. J. Bernholc
  9. Qing Wang
  10. Q. M. Zhang
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Applied Physics Letters
Publication Date March 31, 2023
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0143938
Deposited March 10, 2024

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  • Created
  • Added 2023-APL-Dilute_nanocomposite_local_structure-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Xin Chen
  • Added Creator Hancheng Qin
  • Added Creator Yang Liu
  • Added Creator Yen Ting Lin
  • Added Creator Bing Zhang
  • Added Creator Wenchang Lu
  • Added Creator Seong H. Kim
  • Added Creator J. Bernholc
  • Added Creator Qing Wang
  • Added Creator Q. M. Zhang
  • Published
  • Updated Publication Date Show Changes
    Publication Date
    • 2023-05-22
    • 2023-03-31
  • Updated