PMMA: A key macromolecular component for dielectric low-κ hybrid inorganic–organic polymer films

Electrostatic Correlations Lead to High Capacitance in Zwitterion-Containing Thin Films

A novel zwitterion composed of an imidazolium tethered to an anionic sulfonyl(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide group was prepared as an alternative dielectric material to traditional ionic liquids. The zwitterion not only melted below 100 °C but also proved to be nonhygroscopic. High-capacitance organic dielectric materials were obtained by blending this compound with poly(methyl methacrylate) over a range of concentrations and thicknesses. Above a specific temperature and concentration, films exhibit a capacitance nearly equivalent to that of an electrostatic double layer, approximately 10 μF/cm2, regardless of their thickness. Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering experiments suggest that the zwitterions adopt a lamellar ordering at their surface above a critical concentration. The observed ordering is correlated with a 1000-fold increase in capacitance. The behavior suggests that the zwitterions exhibit strong electrostatic correlations throughout the film bulk, pointing the way toward a novel class of organic dielectric materials.

Scalable co-cured polyimide/poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) all-organic composites enabling improved energy storage density, low leakage current and long-term cycling stability

The all-organic high-temperature polymer dielectrics with promising scale-up potential have witnessed much progress in the energy storage area, etc. However, the electron suppression trap mechanisms behind many all-organic dielectrics are still unclear, especially for high temperature resistant poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) polymers. To resolve this tough issue, we herein innovatively prepared PBO-based all-organic thin films containing sulfone-based polyimide (P(DSDA-ODA)) functioning as an electron trap phase using a facile and scalable co-curing method. The great linear dielectric properties of the prepared P(DSDA-ODA)/PBO films hold high dielectric thermal stability over the temperature range from 25 °C to 200 °C. The 60 wt% P(DSDA-ODA) systems yield the lowest leakage current (3.8 × 10-8 A cm-2). The tight structure and reduced leakage current enable an enhanced breakdown strength of 60 wt% P(DSDA-ODA)/PBO (470 kV mm-1), which is 1.7 times that of pure PBO. Meanwhile, it can reach 4.16 J cm-3 of energy density, which is 257% higher than that for pure PBO thin films while concurrently maintaining a long stable charge-discharge cycle (at least 5000 times) and high charge-discharge efficiency at 85.10%. Moreover, P(DSDA-ODA)/PBO still exhibits excellent energy storage performance at high temperature compared to PBO. This innovative strategy is further verified by replacing P(DSDA-ODA) with P(6FDA-ODA), and therefore lays a solid foundation for more investigation on scalable all-organic dielectrics.

Non-Conjugated Poly(Diphenylene Phthalide)-New Electroactive Material

In organic electronics, conjugated conductive polymers are most widely used. The scope of their application is currently very wide. Non-conjugated polymers are used much less in electronics and are usually used as insulation materials or materials for capacitors. However, the potential of non-conjugated polymers is much wider, due to the fact that new electronic materials with unique electronic properties can be created on the basis of non-conjugated polymers, as well as other inorganic dielectrics. This article demonstrates the possibilities of creating electrically conductive materials with unique electronic parameters based on non-conjugated polymers. The results of the study of the sensory properties of humidity are given as examples of the practical application of the structure. The abnormal electronic properties are realized along the interface of two polymer dielectrics with functional polar groups. The submicron films of polydiphenylenephthalide were used as a dielectric. It is shown that a quasi-two-dimensional electronic structure with abnormally large values of conductivity and mobility of charge carriers occurs along the interface. These structures are often called quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (Q2DEG). This article describes the manufacturing processes of multielectrode devices. Polymer films are deposited via the spin-coating method with polymer solutions in cyclohexanone. The metal electrodes were manufactured through thermal deposition in a vacuum. Three types of metal electrodes made of aluminum, copper and chromium were used. The influence of the electron work function of contacting metals on the electronic parameters of the structure was studied. It was established that the work function decrease leads to an increase in the conductivity and mobility of charge carriers. The charge carrier parameters were estimated based on the analysis of the current-voltage characteristics within the space-charge-limited current technique. The Richardson-Schottky thermionic emission model was used to evaluate values a potential barrier at metal/organic interfaces. It was established that the change in ambient humidity strongly affects the electronic transport properties along the polymer/polymer interface. It is demonstrated that the increase in conductivity with an increase in humidity occurs due to an increase in the mobility of charge carriers and a decrease in the height of the potential barrier at the three-dimensional metal contact with two-dimensional polymer interface. The potential barrier between the electrode and the bulk of the polymer film is significantly higher than between the electrode and the quasi-two-dimensional polymer structure.

Dry tribological properties of textured PMMA composites by embedding microspheres with different thermal conductivities

Textured surfaces were prepared by embedding microspheres with different thermal conductivities of brass microspheres (BS), 304 stainless steel microspheres (SS), and polyoxymethylene microspheres (PS) on the surface of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The effects of surface texture and filling modification on the dry tribological properties of BS/PMMA, SS/PMMA, and PS/PMMA composites were studied by ring-on-disc contact. Based on the finite element analysis of friction heat, the wear mechanisms of BS/PMMA, SS/PMMA, and PS/PMMA composites were analyzed. The results show that regular surface texture can be achieved by embedding microspheres on the PMMA surface. The friction coefficient and wear depth of the SS/PMMA composite are both the lowest. The worn surfaces of BS/PMMA, SS/PMMA, and PS/PMMA composites are divided into three micro-wear-regions. The wear mechanisms of different micro-wear-regions are different. Finite element analysis shows that thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient affect the wear mechanisms of BS/PMMA, SS/PMMA, and PS/PMMA composites.

Dewetting Behavior of Random Copolymer Films Induced by Solvent Vapor Annealing

In recent years, the dewetting behavior of block copolymer films has been studied a lot, but that of random copolymer films was rarely studied. In this study, effects of film thickness and solvent vapor annealing duration (0 s-24 h) on the dewetting behavior of the spin-coated poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) random copolymer films were mainly investigated by atomic force microscopy and contact angle method for the first time. The film thicknesses of the SAN films prepared at different concentrations were characterized by X-ray reflectometry to be 6-34 nm. With the annealing of acetone vapor, the SAN films first appear holes and then rupture into droplets which fuse and break periodically. The periodic evolutions of the droplets are due to the preferred affinity of acetone molecules with the AN segments and the change of surface energy. This phenomenon is different from the single evolutions in the spin-coated polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) block copolymer films. This illustrates the interactions between AN segments and the substrate are stronger than those between PMMA segments and the substrate in the spin-coated films.

A mini-review on the dielectric properties of cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials as electronic components

Cellulose-based materials have the advantages of renewable, non-toxic, flexible, and strong mechanical properties, so it of is great significance to study the dielectric properties of cellulose-based materials. In this paper, we summarized the factors influencing the dielectric properties of cellulose and nanocellulose-based dielectric and the ways to change the dielectric properties, mainly exploring the methods to improve the dielectric constant of cellulose-based dielectric materials. Cellulose and nanocellulose-based dielectric need to improve the hygroscopic property, increase the flexibility and reduce dielectric loss of the composite materials. This review summarizes the current state-of-art progress of new dielectric materials for green energy storage and flexible electronic devices.

Contributing Factors of Dielectric Properties for Polymer Matrix Composites

Due to the trend of multi-function, integration, and miniaturization of electronics, traditional dielectric materials are difficult to satisfy new requirements, such as balanced dielectric properties and good designability. Therefore, high dielectric polymer composites have attracted wide attention due to their outstanding processibility, good designability, and dielectric properties. A number of polymer composites are employed in capacitors and sensors. All these applications are directly affected by the composite's dielectric properties, which are highly depended on the compositions and internal structure design, including the polymer matrix, fillers, structural design, etc. In this review, the influences of matrix, fillers, and filler arrangement on dielectric properties are systematically and comprehensively summarized and the regulation strategies of dielectric loss are introduced as well. Finally, the challenges and prospects of high dielectric polymer composites are proposed.

Bioinorganic Nanoparticles for the Remediation of Environmental Pollution: Critical Appraisal and Potential Avenues

Nowadays, environmental pollution has become a critical issue for both developed and developing countries. Because of excessive industrialization, burning of fossil fuels, mining and exploration, extensive agricultural activities, and plastics, the environment is being contaminated rapidly through soil, air, and water. There are a variety of approaches for treating environmental toxins, but each has its own set of restrictions. As a result, various therapies are accessible, and approaches that are effective, long-lasting, less harmful, and have a superior outcome are extensively demanded. Modern research advances focus more on polymer-based nanoparticles, which are frequently used in drug design, drug delivery systems, environmental remediation, power storage, transformations, and other fields. Bioinorganic nanomaterials could be a better candidate to control contaminants in the environment. In this article, we focused on their synthesis, characterization, photocatalytic process, and contributions to environmental remediation against numerous ecological hazards. In this review article, we also tried to explore their recent advancements and futuristic contributions to control and prevent various pollutants in the environment.

Room-temperature luminescence from Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes: from mechanochromic crystals to flexible polymer matrices

A series of Pd(II) (PdLOMe, PdLOHex) and Pt(II) (PtLOMe, PtLOHex) complexes bearing tetradentate ligands as dianionic luminophores were synthesized. Hence, the cyclometallating chelators were alternatively decorated with two n-hexyloxy (LOHex) or two methoxy (LOMe) moieties to promote crystallization and processability. The new compounds were unambiguously characterized by means of multiple NMR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry as well as by single crystal X-ray diffractometric analysis (PtLOMe and PdLOMe). Steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopic studies were carried out in crystalline phases, in fluid solutions at room temperature, in frozen glassy matrices at 77 K and in a flexible polymeric matrix (PMMA). PtLOMe presents an intriguing mechanochromism resulting from the responsive metal-metal interactions involving adjacent monomeric units. Incorporation of the Pd(II) complexes into the polymeric matrix boosts their photophysical properties by stiffening of the coordination environment while reducing non-radiative deactivation pathways mediated by dissociative metal-centred states, which also become thermally inaccessible at 77 K.

High-energy-density polymer dielectrics via compositional and structural tailoring for electrical energy storage

Dielectric capacitors with higher working voltage and power density are favorable candidates for renewable energy systems and pulsed power applications. A polymer with high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, great scalability, and reliability is a preferred dielectric material for dielectric capacitors. However, their low dielectric constant limits the polymer to achieve satisfying energy density. Therefore, great efforts have been made to get high-energy-density polymer dielectrics. By compositional and structural tailoring, the synergic integrations of the multiple components and optimized structural design effectively improved the energy storage properties. This review presents an overview of recent advancements in the field of high-energy-density polymer dielectrics via compositional and structural tailoring. The surface/interfacial engineering conducted on both microscale and macroscale for polymer dielectrics is the focus of this review. Challenges and the promising opportunities for the development of polymer dielectrics for capacitive energy storage applications are presented at the end of this review.

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A detailed summary of the state-of-the-art polymer dielectrics

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The comparison of polymer nanocomposites with 0D, 1D, and 2D nanofillers

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Analyzing high U_e polymer dielectrics via compositional and structural tailoring

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Summary of micro- or macro-surface and interface engineering

Photophysical Properties of Cyclometalated Platinum(II) Diphosphine Compounds in the Solid State and in PMMA Films

Platinum(II) compounds were synthesized with both chelate cyclometalated ligands and chelate diphosphine ligands. The cyclometalated ligands include phenylpyridine and a benzothiophene-containing ligand. The three new benzothiophene compounds were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), and photophysical measurements. In the case of one compound, L1-DPPM, the structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural coherence of the noncrystalline emissive solid state was measured by X-ray total scattering real space pair distribution function analysis. Quantum yield values of all of the platinum compounds measured in the solid state and in PMMA films were much greater than in solution.

Endophytic Nanotechnology: An Approach to Study Scope and Potential Applications

Nanotechnology has become a very advanced and popular form of technology with huge potentials. Nanotechnology has been very well explored in the fields of electronics, automobiles, construction, medicine, and cosmetics, but the exploration of nanotecnology's use in agriculture is still limited. Due to climate change, each year around 40% of crops face abiotic and biotic stress; with the global demand for food increasing, nanotechnology is seen as the best method to mitigate challenges in disease management in crops by reducing the use of chemical inputs such as herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. The use of these toxic chemicals is potentially harmful to humans and the environment. Therefore, using NPs as fungicides/ bactericides or as nanofertilizers, due to their small size and high surface area with high reactivity, reduces the problems in plant disease management. There are several methods that have been used to synthesize NPs, such as physical and chemical methods. Specially, we need ecofriendly and nontoxic methods for the synthesis of NPs. Some biological organisms like plants, algae, yeast, bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi have emerged as superlative candidates for the biological synthesis of NPs (also considered as green synthesis). Among these biological methods, endophytic microorganisms have been widely used to synthesize NPs with low metallic ions, which opens a new possibility on the edge of biological nanotechnology. In this review, we will have discussed the different methods of synthesis of NPs, such as top-down, bottom-up, and green synthesis (specially including endophytic microorganisms) methods, their mechanisms, different forms of NPs, such as magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs), copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs), chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs), β-d-glucan nanoparticles (GNPs), and engineered nanoparticles (quantum dots, metalloids, nonmetals, carbon nanomaterials, dendrimers, and liposomes), and their molecular approaches in various aspects. At the molecular level, nanoparticles, such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) and RNA-interference molecules, can also be used as molecular tools to carry genetic material during genetic engineering of plants. In plant disease management, NPs can be used as biosensors to diagnose the disease.

Mono-acrylated isosorbide as a bio-based monomer for the improvement of thermal and mechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)

Despite its optical clarity and good weatherability, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cannot meet the needs of special occasions due to its deficient thermal and mechanical properties. To overcome these shortcomings, a type of novel bio-based monomer, mono-acrylated isosorbide, was used as a comonomer for the poly(methyl methacrylate) via a solution polymerization process. The chemical structure, the thermal and mechanical properties of the copolymerized PMMA were characterized. When the molar content of the mono-acrylated isosorbide was increased from 0% to 15%, the glass transition temperature T_g of the copolymerized PMMA was increased from 151.2 °C to 172.5 °C, and the initial decomposition temperature (T_5%) was increased from 323.1 °C to 396.3 °C. Moreover, the impact strength of copolymerized PMMA increased from 10.59 kJ m⁻² to 17.19 kJ m⁻² and the tensile strength improved from 84.02 MPa to 97.56 MPa when the mono-acrylated isosorbide was incorporated with different contents. The incorporation of rigid and thermally stable isosorbide could contribute to the improved thermal and mechanical properties of PMMA, which would find important applications in the military and aeronautical materials under harsh service environments.

With bio-based monoester of acrylated isosorbide as the comonomer, copolymerized poly(methyl methacrylate) showed improved thermal stability and mechanical properties.

Fabrication and Characterization of Fully Inkjet Printed Capacitors Based on Ceramic/Polymer Composite Dielectrics on Flexible Substrates

The preparation of fully inkjet printed capacitors containing ceramic/polymer composites as the dielectric material is presented. Therefore, ceramic/polymer composite inks were developed, which allow a fast one-step fabrication of the composite thick films. Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ (BST) is used as the ceramic component and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as the polymer. The use of such composites allows printing on flexible substrates. Furthermore, it results in improved values for the permittivity compared to pure polymers. Three composite inks with varying ratio of BST to PMMA were used for the fabrication of composite thick films consisting of 33, 50 and 66 vol% BST, respectively. All inks lead to homogeneous structures with precise transitions between the different layers in the capacitors. Besides the microstructures of the printed thick films, the dielectric properties were characterized by impedance spectroscopy over a frequency range of 100 Hz to 200 kHz. In addition, the influence of a larger ceramic particle size was investigated, to raise permittivity. The printed capacitors exhibited dielectric constants of 20 up to 55 at 1 kHz. Finally, the experimental results were compared to different theoretical models and their suitability for the prediction of ε_composite was assessed.

Heat treatment to improve the wear resistance of PTFE/PMMA composites

Polytetrafluoroethylene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PTFE/PMMA) composites were prepared by a self-curing method. The influence of heat treatment processes on the friction and wear behaviors of PTFE/PMMA composites against bearing steel balls were studied by a ball-on-disk tribometer. The thermal performance of PTFE/PMMA composites with heat treatment was analyzed by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The surface morphologies and element distribution of PTFE/PMMA composites in a PMMA matrix were detected by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicated that the wear rates of PTFE/PMMA composites with different heat treatments significantly declined compared with the unheated treatment composite. The wear rate of the PTFE/PMMA composite decreased firstly and then increased with molding temperature and time increasing, and reduced with the molding pressure increasing. The main wear mechanisms of PTFE/PMMA composites with different heat treatments were fatigue wear and abrasive wear.

Wear resistance of PMMA/PTFE composite improved by heat treatment (pressures temperatures, times).

Preparation and Photoluminescence of Transparent Poly(methyl methacrylate)-Based Nanocomposite Films with Ultra-High-Loading Pendant ZnS Quantum Dots

Transparent nanocomposite films containing quantum dots are popular because of their extensive applications. However, nanoparticles tend to aggregate, resulting in phase separation of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. Herein, we present a bulk thermo-curing copolymerization method to fabricate poly(methyl methacrylate)-based nanocomposite films with ultra-high-loading ZnS quantum dots (ZnS/PMMA), utilizing polymerizable group-capped ZnS and monomer of methyl methacrylate (MMA). We found that the nanocomposite film is highly transparent, although the transmittance decreases with the ZnS content, especially at the wavelength between 300 nm and 400 nm. The results from X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) show that the ZnS quantum dots maintain their original crystal structure, and are uniformly dispersed in the nanocomposite films, even with a very high ZnS content (41 wt %, determined by thermogravimetric analysis). The thermogravimetric analysis shows that the nanocomposite films possess a better thermal stability than that of pure PMMA film. The photoluminescence measurements show that ZnS/PMMA nanocomposite films have good optical properties. The fluorescence intensity increases with the increment of free ZnS content to 30 wt %, and then decreases due to self-reabsorption at a higher ZnS content. The transparent ZnS/PMMA nanocomposite films have a potential application as photoluminescence material.

Significant Reduction of the Friction and Wear of PMMA Based Composite by Filling with PTFE

Polytetrafluoroethylene/Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PTFE/PMMA) composite was prepared by mixing PTFE into PMMA matrix which synthesized by the PMMA powder mixture and methyl methacrylate (MMA) liquid mixture. The effects of the filling mass ratio of PTFE and powder/liquid (P/L) ratio on the friction and wear properties of PTFE/PMMA composites against bearing steel were studied by a ball-on-disk tribometer. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to characterize the synthesis of PTFE/PMMA composite. The shore hardness and glass transition temperature (T_g) were obtained respectively by shore hardness tester and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the friction coefficient and wear rate of PMMA based composite, comparing with the unfilled PMMA, can be significantly reduced by filling with PTFE. With the increasing of PTFE filling mass ratio, the wear rate of PTFE/PMMA composite increases. The friction coefficient and wear rate of the unfilled PMMA and PTFE/PMMA composite generally decrease with the P/L ratio increasing. The main wear mechanism of the unfilled PMMA is adhesive wear. While the main wear mechanisms of PTFE/PMMA composites are fatigue wear and abrasive wear.

Depth profiling cross-linked poly(methyl methacrylate) films: a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry approach

RATIONALE

In order to determine the degree of cross-linking on the surface and its variations in a nanometer-scale depth of organic materials, we developed an approach based on time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), which provides rich chemical information in the form of fragment ions. TOF-SIMS is extremely surface-sensitive and capable of depth profiling with the use of a sputter ion beam to remove controllable amounts of substance.

METHODS

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films spin-coated on a Si substrate were cross-linked using a recently developed, surface sensitive, hyperthermal hydrogen projectile bombardment technique. The ion intensity ratio between two ubiquitous hydrocarbon ions, C₆ H^- and C₄ H^- , detected in TOF-SIMS, denoted as ρ, was used to assess the degree of cross-linking of the PMMA films. The cross-linking depth of the PMMA films was revealed by depth profiling ρ into the polymer films using a C₆₀⁺ sputter beam.

RESULTS

The control PMMA film spin-coated on a Si substrate was characterized by ρ = 32% on its surface when using a 25 keV Bi₃⁺ primary ion beam. This parameter on the PMMA films subjected to HHIC treatment for 10, 100 and 500 s increased to 45%, 56% and 65%, respectively. The depth profiles of ρ obtained using a 10 keV C₆₀⁺ ion beam resembled an exponential decay, from which the cross-linking depth was estimated to be 3, 15 and 39 nm, respectively, for the three cross-linked PMMA films.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that the ion intensity ratio of C₆ H^- to C₄ H^- detected in TOF-SIMS provides a unique and simple means to assess the degree of cross-linking of the surface of PMMA films cross-linked by the surface sensitive hyperthermal hydrogen projectile bombardment technique. With a C₆₀⁺ sputter beam, we were able to depth profile the PMMA films and determine cross-linking depths of the cross-linked polymer films at nanometer resolutions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Recent Progress on Ferroelectric Polymer-Based Nanocomposites for High Energy Density Capacitors: Synthesis, Dielectric Properties, and Future Aspects

Dielectric polymer nanocomposites are rapidly emerging as novel materials for a number of advanced engineering applications. In this Review, we present a comprehensive review of the use of ferroelectric polymers, especially PVDF and PVDF-based copolymers/blends as potential components in dielectric nanocomposite materials for high energy density capacitor applications. Various parameters like dielectric constant, dielectric loss, breakdown strength, energy density, and flexibility of the polymer nanocomposites have been thoroughly investigated. Fillers with different shapes have been found to cause significant variation in the physical and electrical properties. Generally, one-dimensional and two-dimensional nanofillers with large aspect ratios provide enhanced flexibility versus zero-dimensional fillers. Surface modification of nanomaterials as well as polymers adds flavor to the dielectric properties of the resulting nanocomposites. Nowadays, three-phase nanocomposites with either combination of fillers or polymer matrix help in further improving the dielectric properties as compared to two-phase nanocomposites. Recent research has been focused on altering the dielectric properties of different materials while also maintaining their superior flexibility. Flexible polymer nanocomposites are the best candidates for application in various fields. However, certain challenges still present, which can be solved only by extensive research in this field.

Hybrid Materials Based on the Embedding of Organically Modified Transition Metal Oxoclusters or Polyoxometalates into Polymers for Functional Applications: A Review

The covalent incorporation of inorganic building blocks into a polymer matrix to obtain stable and robust materials is a widely used concept in the field of organic-inorganic hybrid materials, and encompasses the use of different inorganic systems including (but not limited to) nanoparticles, mono- and polynuclear metal complexes and clusters, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), polyoxometalates (POM), layered inorganic systems, inorganic fibers, and whiskers. In this paper, we will review the use of two particular kinds of structurally well-defined inorganic building blocks, namely transition metals oxoclusters (TMO) and polyoxometalates (POM), to obtain hybrid materials with enhanced functional (e.g., optical, dielectric, magnetic, catalytic) properties.

Synthesis and Characterization of Metal Sulfides Nanoparticles/Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites

Metal sulfides nanoparticles in poly(methyl methacrylate) matrices were prepared and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The FTIR confirms the dispersion of the nanoparticles in PMMA matrices with the C=O and C–O–C bonds of the PMMA shifting slightly which may be attributed to the interactions between the nanoparticles and PMMA. The ZnS nanoparticles in PMMA have average crystallite sizes of 4–7 nm while the CdS has particle size of 10 nm and HgS has crystallite sizes of 8–20 nm. The increasing order of particle sizes as calculated from the XRD is ZnS/PMMA<HgS/PMMA<CdS/PMMA and ranges from 1.02 to 1.35 nm. These calculated particle sizes are smaller than the values obtained from TEM.

Tunable dielectric constant of polyimide–barium titanate nanocomposite materials as the gate dielectrics for organic thin film transistor applications

Polyimide (PI)–BaTiO₃ (BT) NPs hybrid nanocomposite dielectrics with tunable BT loadings (X) were fabricated for investigating their properties on the pentacene organic thin film transistors (OTFTs).

Measuring the spatial distribution of dielectric constants in polymers through quasi-single molecule microscopy

The variation in dielectric constant is measured for thin films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) using confocal fluorescence microscopy. Spatial variation in the local dielectric constant of the polymer films on the ~250 nm length scale is measured using the solvochromatic emission from incorporated nile red (NR) at "quasi-single molecule" (10(-7) M) and true single molecule (SM) concentrations (10(-9) M). Correlation of the NR fluorescence wavelength maximum with dielectric constant is used to transform images of NR's emission maxima to spatial variation in local dielectric constant. We demonstrate that the distributions of dielectric environments measured in the quasi- and true SM approaches are equivalent; however, the enhanced signal rates present in the quasi-SM approach result in this technique being more efficient. In addition, the quasi-SM technique reports directly on the continuous spatial variation in dielectric constant, information that is difficult to obtain in true SM studies. With regards to the polymers of interest, the results presented here demonstrate that a limited distribution of dielectric environments is present in PMMA; however, a broad distribution of environments exists in PVDF consistent with this polymer existing as a distribution of structural phases.

A review of carbon nanotube- and graphene-based flexible thin-film transistors

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene have attracted great attention for numerous applications for future flexible electronics, owing to their supreme properties including exceptionally high electronic conductivity and mechanical strength. Here, the progress of CNT- and graphene-based flexible thin-film transistors from material preparation, device fabrication techniques to transistor performance control is reviewed. State-of-the-art fabrication techniques of thin-film transistors are divided into three categories: solid-phase, liquid-phase, and gas-phase techniques, and possible scale-up approaches to achieve realistic production of flexible nanocarbon-based transistors are discussed. In particular, the recent progress in flexible all-carbon nanomaterial transistor research is highlighted, and this all-carbon strategy opens up a perspective to realize extremely flexible, stretchable, and transparent electronics with a relatively low-cost and fast fabrication technique, compared to traditional rigid silicon, metal and metal oxide electronics.

Sustainable high capacitance at high frequencies: metallic aluminum-polypropylene nanocomposites

The high-frequency dielectric response of 0-3 polypropylene nanocomposites prepared with the activated metallocene polymerization catalyst [rac-ethylenebisindenyl]zirconium dichlororide absorbed on the native Al(2)O(3) surfaces of metallic aluminum nanoparticles is characterized. The nanocomposites produced are randomly dispersed in the polyolefin matrix with no visible defects that might degrade film dielectric properties. Electrical measurements show that as the volume fraction of Al nanoparticles is increased, the effective permittivity of the nanocomposites increases, with ε(r) values reaching ~10 at relatively low frequency (1 MHz). Because of the high permittivity and conductivity contrast between the metal nanoparticles and the polypropylene matrix, Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars theory can be applied to model the loss at high frequencies and provide insight into how the nanocomposite high frequency response scales with Al volume fraction. At higher Al nanoparticle volume fractions, mixing theories predict greater densities of nanoparticle aggregates, consistent with the experimentally observed shift of the dielectric relaxation to lower frequencies. Although these nanocomposites undergo the predicted initial dielectric relaxation with increasing frequency, the metallic nanoparticle complex permittivity imbues the higher Al volume fraction materials with relatively high, sustainable permittivities, 6, at frequencies as high as 7 GHz.

Controlling Foam Morphology of Poly(methyl methacrylate) via Surface Chemistry and Concentration of Silica Nanoparticles and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Process Parameters

Polymer nanocomposite foams have received considerable attention because of their potential use in advanced applications such as bone scaffolds, food packaging, and transportation materials due to their low density and enhanced mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties compared to traditional polymer foams. In this study, silica nanofillers were used as nucleating agents and supercritical carbon dioxide as the foaming agent. The use of nanofillers provides an interface upon which CO2nucleates and leads to remarkably low average cell sizes while improving cell density (number of cells per unit volume). In this study, the effect of concentration, the extent of surface modification of silica nanofillers with CO2-philic chemical groups, and supercritical carbon dioxide process conditions on the foam morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, were systematically investigated to shed light on the relative importance of material and process parameters. The silica nanoparticles were chemically modified with tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane leading to three different surface chemistries. The silica concentration was varied from 0.85 to 3.2% (by weight). The supercritical CO2foaming was performed at four different temperatures (40, 65, 75, and 85°C) and between 8.97 and 17.93 MPa. By altering the surface chemistry of the silica nanofiller and manipulating the process conditions, the average cell diameter was decreased from9.62±5.22to1.06±0.32 μm, whereas, the cell density was increased from7.5±0.5×108to4.8±0.3×1011cells/cm3. Our findings indicate that surface modification of silica nanoparticles with CO2-philic surfactants has the strongest effect on foam morphology.

Enhanced energy storage and suppressed dielectric loss in oxide core-shell-polyolefin nanocomposites by moderating internal surface area and increasing shell thickness

Dielectric loss in metal oxide core/Al(2)O(3) shell polypropylene nanocomposites scales with the particle surface area. By moderating the interfacial surface area between the phases and using increasing shell thicknesses, dielectric loss is significantly reduced, and thus the energy stored within, and recoverable from, capacitors fabricated from these materials is significantly increased, to as high as 2.05 J/cm(3).