Nanoscale Strategies to Enhance the Energy Storage Capacity of Polymeric Dielectric Capacitors: Review of Recent Advances

Abstract This review provides a detailed overview of the latest developments using nanoscale strategies in the field of polymeric and polymer nanocomposite materials for emerging dielectric capacitor-based energy storage applications. Among the various energy storage devices, solid-state dielectric capacitors possess the advantage of high-power density which makes them highly attractive for pulsed power applications. Polymers are particularly suitable for dielectric energy storage applications because of their high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, formability, self-healing capability, flexibility, solvent processability, and graceful breakdown failure. Strategies to enhance the dielectric breakdown strength of polymeric dielectric capacitors are emphasized in this review. General background on breakdown mechanism, breakdown characteristics, and factors influencing polymer dielectrics breakdown are introduced. Given that polymers have low permittivity, strategies to substantially enhance dipole mobility and hence the permittivity, are highlighted. We discuss strategies to address permittivity contrast between nanofillers and the polymer matrix including the potential for developing gradient permittivity structured nanofillers. To improve the compatibility of nanofiller with polymer and minimize nanofiller aggregation, different routes to surface functionalize nanoparticles are presented. An outlook and future perspectives section are provided for the design of high energy density polymer film capacitors.