Gold Sputtering at the Interfaces: An Easily Operated Strategy for Enhancing the Energy Storage Capability of Laminated Polymer Dielectrics

Polymers with excellent dielectric properties are strongly desired for pulsed power film capacitors. However, the adverse coupling between the dielectric constant and breakdown strength greatly limits the energy storage capability of polymers. In this work, we report an easily operated method to solve this problem via sputtering the interface of bilayer polymer films with ultralow content of gold nanoparticles. Interestingly, the gold nanoparticles can effectively block the movement of charge carriers because of the Coulomb blocking effect, yielding significantly enhanced breakdown strength. Meanwhile, the gold nanoparticles can act as electrodes to form numerous equivalent microcapacitors, resulting in an obviously enhanced dielectric constant. Impressively, the polymer film with merely 0.01 vol % gold nanoparticles exhibits an obvious dielectric constant and breakdown strength, which are 129 and 131% that of the pristine polymer film, respectively. Consequently, a high energy density which is 176% of that of the pristine polymer film is achieved, and a high efficiency of 79.2% is maintained. Moreover, this process can be well combined with the production process of commercial dielectric polymer films, which is beneficial for mass production. This work offers an easily operated way to improve the dielectric capacitive energy storage properties of polymers, which could also be applicable to other materials, such as ceramics and composites.