Continually enhanced dielectric constant of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) with BaTiO3@Poly(vinylidene fluoride) core-shell nanostructure filling

An effective material with a core-shell structure was fabricated and characterized for use as an effective filler in a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix nanocomposite. Barium titanate nanoparticles (nBT) (∼100 nm) were coated by a PVDF polymer layer of thickness ∼7 nm. The fraction of the β-PVDF phase was slightly enhanced compared with that of the pure PVDF polymer. The n[email protected] core-shell filler particles were used in the composites. Their agglomeration was reduced and a homogeneous dispersion of these particles was achieved. Accordingly, the n[email protected] filler can improve the dielectric properties of the PVDF polymer matrix nanocomposites. The n[email protected]/PVDF nanocomposite (nBT volume fraction (fnBT) = 0.47) yielded significantly enhanced dielectric constant (ε′ = 121.02) and decreased dielectric loss (tanδ = 0.025). The ε′ values were consistent with those estimated based on the effective medium theory. The tanδ and ε′ values of the n[email protected]/PVDF nanocomposites were respectively lower and higher than those of the nBT/PVDF composites at the same fnBT due to the blocking layer of the PVDF shell and the homogeneous dispersion of nBT particles, respectively.