Interfaces in poly(vinylidene fluoride) terpolymer/ZrO2 nanocomposites and their effect on dielectric properties

Enhancement of weak and high field dielectric responses was observed in poly(vinylidene fluoride) terpolymer/ZrO2 nanocomposites. A frequency-dependent interfacial polarization mechanism (related to the interfacial area between polymer and nanoparticles) is responsible for the enhancement of the dielectric constant at the low field. Due to the improvement of chain mobility and stabilization of the polar phase in the polymer/nanoparticle interface regions, the high field dielectric response of nanocomposites was also enhanced in the certain particle loading. Based on the high-field polarization saturation phenomenon, the dimension of interface regions in the nanocomposites was estimated as 20-40 nm. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3056176]