High dielectric constant and low loss in polymer composites filled by self-passivated zinc particles

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composites filled by self-passivated zinc (Zn) particles were fabricated through a simple method of flocculation. The following measurement exhibits that the Zn/PVDF composite with filler volume fraction of 0.24 possesses the excellent dielectric properties, and the obtained dielectric constant and loss at 10(3) Hz were 52 and 0.05, respectively. It's considered that high dielectric constant is originated from the enhanced interfacial polarization, while the low loss is due mainly to the self-passivation layer of zinc carbonate hydroxide, which can serve as the insulating interface and reduce leakage current effectively through blocking the free transfer of charge carriers between adjacent Zn fillers. The developed polymer composites with favorable dielectric properties are potential for embedded capacitor applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.