Composites of Core/Shell-Structured Copper-Phthalocyanine-Decorated TiO2 Particles Embedded in Poly(Arylene Ether Nitrile) Matrix with Enhanced Dielectric Properties

Abstract

Polymer-based composite films were prepared by employing core/shell-structured tetranitrophthalocyanine copper/titanium dioxide (TNCuPc–TiO2) hybrid particles as fillers and poly(arylene ether nitrile)s (PEN) as polymer matrix. Core/shell-structured TNCuPc–TiO2 hybrid particles were successfully synthesized through a facile solvothermal synthesis route. Compared with raw TiO2, the dispersibility and interfacial compatibility between TNCuPc–TiO2 hybrid particles and PEN matrix were observably improved because the TNCuPc decorated on the TiO2 can interact with nitrile groups in PEN. Consequently, core/shell-structured TNCuPc–TiO2 had a more significant enhancement effect on the properties of PEN. Although the mechanical strength was reduced to 41 MPa, all of the composite films exhibited excellent thermal stability. Their initial decomposition temperatures were up to 510°C, and the glass-transition temperatures were over 191°C. More importantly, the permittivity of the composite film was as high as 19.8 at 100 Hz when the weight fraction of TNCuPc–TiO2 hybrid particle loading reached 40.0 wt.%. Compared with the permittivity of PEN/TiO2 composite films with 40.0 wt.% raw TiO2 particle loading, the dielectric constant was increased by 161%.