Synergistic effect of barium titanate nanoparticles and graphene quantum dots on the dielectric properties and conductivity of poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoroethylene) films

PVDF-HFP/BaTiO3/GQDs polymer nanocomposite films with good flexibility and high dielectric constant (ϵ) at low frequency were prepared via solution casting technique. Different compositions of BaTiO3 (non-conducting ceramic nanofiller) and Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) (conducting nanofiller) utilized as co-filler were embedded in poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoroethylene) (PVDF-HFP) polymer matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were employed to characterize the prepared nanocomposite films. The mechanical properties of PVDF-HFP/BaTiO3/GQDs nanocomposite films were also investigated. Dielectric properties of nanocomposite films such as dielectric constant (ϵ), dielectric loss (tanδ) and AC conductivity ( σac ) were also determined as a function of frequency and temperature. Highest ϵ with relatively low tanδ obtained at low frequency for maximum temperature in all polymer nanocomposite films. The σac increases from lower (100 Hz) to higher frequency up to 100 kHz and drops to zero for the further increment of frequency. These results suggest that the PVDF-HFP/BaTiO3/GQDs nanocomposites are the most promising materials for energy storage applications.