Estimating the dielectric constant of BaTiO₃-polymer nanocomposites by a developed Paletto model

Polymer-based nanocomposites with high dielectric constant have attracted the attention of many researchers, owing to their wide applications in advanced electronics. The experimental measurement of dielectric constant for every polymer-based nanocomposite system is not practically feasible, due to there being many polymer matrixes and nanofiller combinations. Therefore, there is rising interest in predicting the dielectric constant of polymer nanocomposites, using mathematical methods. In this study, we estimate the dielectric constant of polymer nanocomposites by considering astounding interphase properties. The Paletto model is modified, in order to predict the dielectric constant of a BaTiO₃-polymer nanocomposite by properly assuming the interphase parameters, including the thickness of the interphase layer and the dielectric constant of the interphase region. Results from the modified Paletto model are verified by experimental data, indicating that the predicted values agree well with the experimentally determined dielectric constant, and thus the accuracy of the developed model. In addition, the particle concentration will significantly be underestimated if the influence of the interphase volume is ignored. Furthermore, the effects of different parameters, including the dielectric constant of polymer substrate, dielectric constant of particles, particle content, particle size, the thickness of the interphase layer as well as the dielectric constant of the interphase region on the dielectric constant of a BaTiO₃-polymer nanocomposite are also investigated. The developed model provides a useful tool for predicting the dielectric constant of a BaTiO₃-polymer nanocomposite, accompanied by interphase analysis.