Dynamic electrical thermal analysis on zinc oxide/epoxy resin nanodielectrics

The dielectric response of ZnO/epoxy resin nanocomposites was studied by means of dynamic electrical thermal analysis in the frequency range of 10^?1 to 10⁷ Hz, and over the temperature range of 30–160 °C, varying the content of the reinforcing phase. Scanning electron microscopy pictures were used for assessing the composites morphology and for examining the particles’ dispersion. The thermal properties of nanocomposites were examined by differential scanning calorimetry in the temperature range of 0–170 °C. Dielectric data were analyzed via dielectric permittivity and electric modulus formalisms. Recorded relaxation phenomena include contributions from both the polymeric matrix and the presence of the reinforcing phase. Processes related to the polymer matrix are attributed to the glass to rubber transition (α-relaxation) of the epoxy resin and local motions of polar side groups of the main polymer chain (β-relaxation). Finally, the slower process appearing at low frequencies and high temperatures, originates from interfacial phenomena due to the accumulation of unbounded charges at the system’s interface.