High-k engineered PVDF-BaTiO3 composites for energy storage

High-permittivity (high-k) polymer-ceramic composites with engineered nano-architecture meet the increasingly marked tendency towards a more rational and sustainable use of energy. They provide a smart solution to combine the good dielectric properties of the ceramic filler with the processability, flexibility and high breakdown strength of the polymer matrix [1]. In this work, 0-3 connectivity nanocomposites based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and containing 30 vol% of ceramic inclusions were prepared by solution casting followed by compression moulding. BaTiO3 nanoparticles, both as synthesised and coated with a thin shell of a binary oxide (SiO2 or TiO2), were employed to understand the role of interfaces, shape and morphology of inclusions. A better insight of the correlation between composite microstructure and dielectric properties was gained by combining FEM simulation and experimental data.