Effect of Zn(NO3)2 filler on the dielectric permittivity and electrical modulus of PMMA

Abstract

Composite films consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and Zn(NO3)2 were developed in the laboratory through the sol casting technique. These films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The morphological analysis was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These analyses revealed the homogeneous and semi-crystalline behaviour of the films. The dielectric response measurement was conducted in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 5 MHz. The real and imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity decreased with the increase in frequency but increased with temperature. The electrical conductivity measurement showed a plateau-like behaviour in the low-frequency region and dispersion in the high-frequency region. The frequency-dependent electrical modulus obeyed Arrhenius law, and it showed an increase in the dipolar interaction with the temperature due to thermal activation. The activation energy of the film specimen was estimated to be about 0.448 eV. Thus the polymeric composite PMMA-Zn(NO3)2 is one of the appropriate candidate for numerous technical applications such as supercapacitors, high-speed computers and gate dielectric material for organic FETs.