Modelling the distribution of BaTiO3 nanoparticles in a P(VDF70-TrFE30) polymer matrix for permittivity calculation

Abstract

Nanocomposites are an exciting field for both research and application related activities as they promise to push the existing limits of many standard materials. For instance, the admixture of inorganic nanoparticles into polymers may lead to materials with novel dielectric properties. However, nanocomposites are highly complex material systems, making the prediction of basic material parameters, such as the permittivity, challenging. In this study, we present a novel method that considers explicitly the statistical distribution of the nanoparticles in the organic matrix, which allows to calculate the permittivity as a function of the nanoparticle volume fraction. We apply this method for the study of spherical barium titanate particles in a poly(vinylidene fluoride70-trifluoroethyline30 polymer matrix and show that a transition from randomly distributed nanocomposites to colloidal crystals occurs, which has a tremendous impact on the permittivity of the composite.