Improving dielectric properties of polyarylene ether nitrile with conducting polyaniline

In this study, the dielectric properties of poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN) were effectively improved by the incorporation of conducting polyaniline (PANI). Sulfuric acid doped PANI was prepared and incorporated into the PEN matrix as additives by using the solution-casting method. The micro-morphologies, mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of the obtained PANI/PEN nanocomposites were investigated in detail. SEM observation showed that the PANI phase is homogeneously dispersed in the PEN matrix. The obtained PANI/PEN nanocomposites showed good thermal stability as the glass transition temperatures and initial decomposition temperatures of them are higher than 190 and 270 °C. The dielectric constant of the composites was significantly improved after the introduction of PANI, and the dielectric constant of the composite PANI/PEN100 reaches 23.5 (250 Hz), with an increment of 650 % when 10 wt% of PANI is introduced. The temperature dependencies of dielectric constant measurement showed that the dielectric constant of the PANI/PEN composites is stable before 180 °C and these composites can be long-term used at high temperature for their good reversibility and robustness during the heating and cooling scans. These PANI/PEN composites will be a potential candidate as high performance electronic devices materials used at high temperature.