Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous BaTiO3 framework-reinforced polymer composites with improved dielectric properties

Abstract

Polymer composites with high dielectric constants are highly desired in advanced electronic devices and the modern electrical industry. The dielectric constant of three-dimensional filler-reinforced polymer composites is usually enhanced at the expense of flexibility. Herein, barium titanate inverse opals (BT_IOs) that have three-dimensionally ordered and interconnected macropores are prepared and introduced into a poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix to tailor their dielectric properties. The composite films with 30 wt% BT_IOs exhibit a dielectric constant of 18.8 at 1 kHz, showing an enhancement of 154% and 35% compared with that of pristine PVDF and their corresponding composites reinforced with barium titanate nanoparticles, respectively. Meanwhile, the dielectric loss is suppressed at 0.088. The BT_IOs/PVDF composite films also maintain good flexibility and can be freely bent. This design of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous filler-reinforced polymer composites with improved dielectric constants and good flexibility presents promising applications of dielectric materials in flexible electronics.