MICROSTRUCTURE IMPLICATIONS ON SURFACE FEATURES AND DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF NANOCERAMICS EMBEDDED IN POLYSTYRENE

Ceramic nanoparticles with high polarizability are embedded in thermoplastic polystyrene matrix through a simple solution dispersion procedure. The degree of the reinforcement of the polymer is ranged between 1 and 30 wt% in order to analyze the microstructural changes, under the form of percolation networks that are influencing the surface and bulk properties of the samples. Surface energy characteristics, determined through contact angle data, are explained in correlation with morphological features, evaluated from atomic force microscopy measurements. The effect of nanoceramic content on the surface mechanical properties, particularly adhesion, is discussed. The dielectric constant of the prepared materials is assessed with two mathematical models. The resulted data are important in designing polymer nanocomposites with high dielectric constant materials for electronics where good adhesion is essential for the devices reliability.