Polydicyclopentadiene matrix composites for multifunctional capacitors

In this work we investigate polydicyclopentadiene (polyDCPD) as a matrix in conjunction with finely powdered HCl-doped polyaniline (PANI) filler to obtain high dielectric constant materials with very good thermo-mechanical properties. Optical microscopy measurements revealed that the majority of micron-sized PANI particles are evenly dispersed within the polyDCPD matrix, when used at concentrations of 3wt% and 5wt%. Dynamic mechanical measurements indicated that addition of PANI to polyDCPD resulted in stiffer materials while maintaining a very good mechanical behavior up to 90°C. Finally, it was found that the dielectric constant of the polymeric materials can be increased through the addition of small amounts of PANI. The coupled mechanical and dielectric behavior of the polyDCPD-PANI composites suggested that these systems are potential candidates for the design and manufacturing of multifunctional capacitors that can carry load while storing energy.