Title: Surface modified BaTiO₃-polystyrene nanocomposites for energy storage

Authors: Venkata S. Puli; Ravinder Elupula; Brian C. Riggs; Scott M. Grayson; Ram S. Katiyar; Douglas B. Chrisey

Addresses: Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA ' Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA ' Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA ' Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA ' Department of Physics, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan-00936, PR, USA ' Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA

Abstract: Major research efforts have been focused towards developing high dielectric constant (ε), low loss (tan δ) and high electrical breakdown dielectrics for energy storage capacitors. Combining the low cost, ease of processing and high breakdown field strength (BDS) of polymers with the high ε ceramic fillers will result in high-energy storage capacitors. Herein, we show progress in developing low cost, low weight and high electrical energy storage capacitors by mixing polystyrene (PS, mw = 177,000 g/mol) and hydroxyl-BaTiO₃nanoparticles (h-BT, ∼50 nm) in a highly polar solvent (DMF) on weight percent basis. Surface modification of crude-BT(c-BT) by H₂O₂ resulted in h-BT, which renders h-BT highly dispersed due to the surface hydroxyl functional groups. Ceramic-polymer nanocomposites (80PS-20hBT and 20PS-80hBT) exhibited relatively high BDS (∼475 kV/cm and 247 kV/cm) and a large ε (∼13 and 40). Room temperature (300 K) energy density values for PS, 80PS-20hBT, 20PS-80hBT and h-BT are 4.33, 0.12, 0.10 and 0.36 J/cm³, respectively.

Keywords: dielectrics; energy storage; polymers; nanocomposites; capacitors; nanotechnology; surface modification; BaTiO3; barium titanate; polystyrene.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2014.063798

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014 Vol.11 No.9/10/11, pp.910 - 920

Published online: 14 Jan 2015 *

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