Nano carbon/poly (vinylidene fluoride) composites with high dielectric properties

Key words:  multi-walled carbon nanotube  few layer graphene nanosheets  chemical modification  dielectric composites

Abstract:

Polymer based composites with high dielectric properties were fabricated with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNTs) and few layer graphene nanosheets (FLGs) acting as conductive fillers. Using methods such as SEM, TEM, AFM, XPS, FT-IR, the composition and structure of nano-sized carbon materials and their dispersion in the polymer matrix were measured and characterized. After carboxylic and ester functionalization, the composites show significant increase in dielectric constant due to improvement of the dispersion of MWNTs in the polymer matrix. After one-step alkaline-mediated hydrothermal treatment, hydroxyl content increases on the surface of the FLGs. The percolation threshold of FLGs/polymer composites increases accordingly and the composites show better dielectric properties than nano-sized carbon materials.