A high-performance dielectric block copolymer with a self-assembled superhelical nanotube morphology

Abstract

A block copolymer consisting of functional polynorbornene (PNBE) and polyacetylene (PA) segments was synthesized by tandem metathesis polymerization, and self-assembled into a superhelical nanotube morphology from achiral building blocks. Bearing insulated PNBE and conductive PA segments with unique nanostructures, the block copolymers displayed high dielectric permittivities of 25–29, low dielectric losses of 0.03–0.04, and excellent stored/released energy densities of 2.0–1.9/1.7–1.2 J cm⁻³ under the breakdown fields of 270–200 MV m⁻¹, due to strong dipolar and nanointerfacial polarizations as well as stereoregular chain microstructure contributions. This strategy provided a new way for the development of advanced nanodielectric materials.