Simulation of nanodielectrics: nanoparticle and interphase effects on electric field distributions

Nanodielectrics have been regarded as a class of material system that can provide significantly improved chemical, mechanical and dielectric properties over conventional microcomposites. This is due to the presence of a high volume fraction of the interphase between nanoparticles and polymers. However, precise effects of nanodielectrics are not well understood, leading to difficulties in interpreting the dielectric behaviours of nanodielectrics. In the current work, effects of nanoparticle distributions, interparticle distances, nanoparticle sizes, interphase permittivities and interphase thicknesses on the possible electric field variations within a nanodielectric model have been simulated using Finite Element Method Magnetics (FEMM) 4.2. The results demonstrate that different nanoparticle and interphase configurations lead to different effects on the electric field intensity within the nanodielectric model. Mechanisms leading to changes in dielectric properties based on the observed electric field variations are discussed.