Enhanced dielectric constant and breakdown strength of sandwiched polymer nanocomposite film for excellent energy storage

Abstract

Enhanced dielectric constant and high breakdown strength offers immense promise for excellent energy storage performance, which is of critical significance in modern electronics and power systems. However, polymer nanocomposites with traditional routes have to balance between dielectric constant and breakdown strength, hence hindering substantive increases in energy density. Herein, a sandwiched polymer nanocomposite film has been constructed to take full advantage of the individual component layers. BaTiO₃ nanoparticles are coated with a fluoropolymer to form core–shell structures and then introduced into a polymer as the top and the bottom layers of a sandwich film for enhancing polarization. Moreover, boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) in the middle layer of the sandwich film exert positive effects on the inhibition of current leakage for high breakdown resistance. The breakdown strength increases from 480 MV m⁻¹ of the neat polymer to 580 MV m⁻¹ of the sandwiched film. Additionally, the film exhibits a higher dielectric constant in comparison with the neat polymer. The sandwiched film displays a superior energy density (15.75 J cm⁻³), which is about 1.9 times that of the neat polymer. This work proposes a feasible route to achieve excellent energy storage of polymer dielectrics by synergistically introducing insulating fillers and additional dipoles in a sandwiched polymer nanocomposite film.