Enhanced Energy Storage in Dielectric Polymer Nanocomposites via Quantum-Confinement of Nano Metal Particles

초록

The quest to improve the electrical energy storage capacity of dielectric polymer nanocomposites has led to the exploration of incorporating high dielectric constant (high-k) ceramic fillers into dielectric polymers. While this strategy has shown promise, it often results in a compromised dielectric breakdown strength and elevated dielectric losses due to the electrical property disparities between the ceramic fillers and the polymer matrices. Addressing these critical limitations, our study introduces a novel fabrication approach for polymer nanocomposites that exhibit significantly enhanced breakdown strength and minimized dielectric loss. The key innovation lies in leveraging the quantum-confinement effect of nano metal particles, specifically through the use of core-satellite-structured, ultra-small palladium or gold-decorated TiO2@PDA@Pd and Au nanowires (NWs) as nanofillers. These fillers integrate the moderate-k properties of TiO2 nanowires and capitalize on the unique electrical characteristics conferred by the quantum-confinement effect. Our findings demonstrate that the TiO2@PDA@Pd NWs 6 vol% nanocomposites, in particular, show a remarkable increase in discharged energy density - approximately 535 % higher than that of pure P(VDF-HFP) and TiO2@PDA@Pd NWs nanocomposites. This substantial improvement is attributed to the synergistic effects of the nanometal particles and TiO2 nanowires, which facilitate a more efficient charge storage mechanism within the polymer matrix. This research provides a deeper understanding of the quantum-confinement effect in enhancing the energy storage capabilities of dielectric polymer nanocomposites. It opens up new avenues for developing high-performance energy storage materials.