Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Polymer-Grafted Low-K and High-K Nanoparticles for Dielectric and Electronic Applications
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molecules Review Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Polymer-Grafted Low-K and High-K Nanoparticles for Dielectric and Electronic Applications Bhausaheb V. Tawade 1 , Ikeoluwa E. Apata 1 , Nihar Pradhan 2 , Alamgir Karim 3 and Dharmaraj Raghavan 1,* 1 Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA; [email protected] (B.V.T.); [email protected] (I.E.A.) 2 Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA; [email protected] 3 Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: The synthesis of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) or hairy nanoparticles (HNPs) by tethering of polymer chains to the surface of nanoparticles is an important technique to obtain nanostructured hybrid materials that have been widely used in the formulation of advanced polymer nanocomposites. Ceramic-based polymer nanocomposites integrate key attributes of polymer and ceramic nanomaterial to improve the dielectric properties such as breakdown strength, energy density and dielectric loss. This review describes the “grafting from” and “grafting to” approaches commonly adopted to graft polymer chains on NPs pertaining to nano-dielectrics. The article also covers various surface initiated controlled radical polymerization techniques, along with templated approaches for Citation: Tawade, B.V.; Apata, I.E.; grafting of polymer chains onto SiO2, TiO2, BaTiO3, and Al2O3 nanomaterials. As a look towards Pradhan, N.; Karim, A.; Raghavan, D. applications, an outlook on high-performance polymer nanocomposite capacitors for the design of Recent Advances in the Synthesis of high energy density pulsed power thin-film capacitors is also presented. Polymer-Grafted Low-K and High-K Nanoparticles for Dielectric and Electronic Applications. Molecules Keywords: polymer-grafted nanoparticles; dielectric properties; energy density; SiO2; TiO2; BaTiO3; 2021, 26, 2942. https://doi.org/ Al2O3; reversible deactivation radical polymerization; ATRP; RAFT; NMP; click chemistry 10.3390/molecules26102942 Academic Editor: Bhanu P. S. Chauhan 1. Introduction The growing demand for power electronics and energy storage serves as an ex- Received: 14 April 2021 cellent motivation for developing next generation dielectrics and electrical insulation Accepted: 10 May 2021 materials [1,2]. Dielectric polymers and polymer nanocomposites stand out as next gener- Published: 15 May 2021 ation dielectric materials for many electrical insulation and energy storage applications owing to their high dielectric strength, high voltage endurance, low dielectric loss, low Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral equivalent series resistance, a gradual failure mechanism, light weight, low cost and ease with regard to jurisdictional claims in of processability [3–10]. The use of polymer-based dielectric capacitors in various sectors published maps and institutional affil- is summarized in Figure1A. As a result of numerous emerging potential applications of iations. polymer-based dielectric materials and capacitors, research on strategies for enhancing capacitive energy storage methods has experienced significant growth. Figure1B shows the number of yearly publications in the last 25 years on the topic of “dielectric polymer capacitor” as found in the Sci-Finder database. Clearly, over the years the research interest Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. in the field of polymer dielectric capacitors has grown exponentially. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Apart from the use of polymers in nanocomposites, inorganic materials such as This article is an open access article ceramics are critical components for nanocomposite capacitors due to their extremely large distributed under the terms and dielectric constants, often times >1000. Despite their high dielectric constants, inorganic conditions of the Creative Commons materials suffer from a low breakdown strength and non-graceful failure mode. Polymer Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ nanocomposites integrate key attributes of polymer and ceramic nanomaterial to improve 4.0/). the overall dielectric properties [11,12]. Molecules 2021, 26, 2942. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26102942 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Molecules 2021Molecules, 26, x 2021FOR, 26PEER, 2942 REVIEW 2 of 44 2 of 43 Figure 1. (FigureA) The 1. (emergingA) The emerging applications applications of of dielectric dielectric capacitors capacitors (B) Number(B) Number of publications of publications on “polymer on dielectric “polymer capacitor” dielectric ca- pacitor” perper year year in thethe last last 25 25 years. years. Several comprehensive review articles including a couple of review articles from Apartour group from have the been use publishedof polymers in the in field nanoco of polymermposites, and polymer inorganic nanocomposite materials di-such as ce- ramicselectrics are critical [13–26]. components Our first review for article nanocompos dealt withite coverage capacitors of the nanoscaledue to their strategies extremely in large dielectricthe field constants, of polymeric often and polymertimes >1000. nanocomposites Despite fortheir use inhigh emerging dielectric dielectric constants, capacitor- inorganic materialsbased suffer energy from storage a low applications breakdown [13]. Somestreng ofth the and strategies non-graceful to address failure permittivity mode. Polymer nanocompositescontrast between integrate nanofillers key and attributes the polymer of matrix polymer including and potentialceramic for nanomaterial developing to im- gradient permittivity structured nanofillers were presented. Additionally, we had described proveapproaches the overall to improvedielectric the properties compatibility [11,12]. of nanofiller with polymer, minimize nanofiller Severalaggregation, comprehensive and mitigate the review permittivity articles contrast including between a couple nanofiller of review and polymer, articles In from our groupour have second been review published article, we in discussedthe field different of polymer chemical and routes polymer for surface nanocomposite functional- dielec- trics [13–26].ization of Our ceramic first nanoparticles review article [14]. dealt For instance, with coverage the article of dealt the with nanoscale the synthesis strategies of in the low-k and high-κ nanomaterials [19–24] as well as surface functionalization of nanoma- field terialsof polymeric including and treatment polymer with hydrogen nanocomposites peroxide, silane for use coupling in emerging agents, phosphonic dielectric capaci- tor-basedacid and energy dopamine storage moieties applicat thations improved [13]. theSome interaction of the betweenstrategies nanomaterials to address and permittivity contrastpolymer between matrix. nanofillers and the polymer matrix including potential for developing gradient Inpermittivity the review article structured published nanofillers in Nanotechnology were presented.[14], it was pointedAdditionally, out that thewe had de- scribedselection approaches of the surface to improve modifying the coupling compatibility agent on theof surfacenanofiller of nanoparticles/layer with polymer, minimize dictate the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites as well as the performance of nanofillerthe bilayer aggregation, as it relates and to gate mitigate dielectrics. the Although, permittivity functionalization contrast ofbetween nanomaterials nanofiller and polymer,with chemicalIn our second agents isreview less cumbersome article, we and di lessscussed equipment different intensive chemical there are routes several for surface functionalizationshortcomings toof adopting ceramic this nanoparticles method viz., (i) [14]. the structureFor instance, of the chemical the article modifying dealt with the synthesisagent of is distinctlylow-k and different high-κ from nanomaterials the long chain [19–24] of polymer as well matrix as (ii) surface side reaction functionalization of the chemical agent could lead to multilayer formation and (iii) physical adsorption of the of nanomaterialsmodifying agent. including Unlike the surfacetreatment modification with hydrogen of nanoparticles peroxide, with chemical silane agents, coupling the agents, phosphonicpolymer graftingacid and of thedopamine nanoparticles moieties yield nanoparticles that improved with surface the energyinteraction which closelybetween nano- materialsmatches and with polymer that of thematrix. polymer matrix. The improved compatibility of polymer-grafted Innanoparticles the review with article polymer published matrix often in yieldsNanotechnology nanocomposites [14], with it superiorwas pointed properties out that the compared to nanocomposites with chemical agent-modified nanoparticles. For instance, selection of the surface modifying coupling agent on the surface of nanoparticles/layer maximum energy density and extraction efficiency values for polymethylmethacrylate dictate(PMMA) the dielectric grafted BaTiO properties3 filled PMMA of the nanocompositesnanocomposites was as found well to as be the two performance fold higher of the bilayerthan as that it relates of coupling to gate agent dielectrics. surface-modified Although, BaTiO3 functionalizationfilled PMMA nanocomposites of nanomaterials [27]. with chemical Thereagents are manyis less approaches cumbersome to improve and theless compatibility equipment of theintensive nanoparticles