Electrical and Dielectric Properties of Exfoliated Graphite/Polyimide Composite Films with Low Percolation Threshold

Exfoliated graphite/polyimide composite films were synthesized by in situ polymerization. The electrical and dielectric properties of composite films with different volume fraction of exfoliated graphite were investigated over the frequency range from 10(3) Hz to 3 x 10(6) Hz. The dielectric behavior of the composite films was investigated by percolation theory and a microcapacitor model. A low percolation threshold f (c) a parts per thousand 3.1 vol.% was obtained due to the high aspect ratio of the exfoliated graphite. Both the dielectric constant and alternating-current (AC) conductivity showed an abrupt increase in the vicinity of the percolation threshold. The ultralarge enhancement of the dielectric constant near and beyond the percolation threshold was due to Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars (MWS) interfacial polarization between the exfoliated graphite and polyimide and interface polarization between the composite film and electrode.