Polymer-ceramic Nanocomposites for High Power Capacitors

Agiltron is developing a new family of polymer-ceramic nanoparticle composite dielectric materials for high power capacitors such as required in directed energy pulsed systems. In Phase I we showed that embedding large dielectric constant fillers into nanodielctrics results in a composite with greatly improved breakdown strength and reduced dielectric loss compared to conventional materials. Our nanocomposites will have a dielectric constant 2 to 3 orders of magnitude larger and a breakdown strength 2-3 times larger than polyimide's and the dielectric loss will be less than 0.01. Our nanodielectric films will also be flexible and can be folded and rolled like plastic sheets, important in the fabrication of compact capacitors. In Phase I, Agiltron has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of this approach; in Phase II we will further develop the nanoscale interfaces through molecular dynamic simulation with a goal of optimizing the nanocomposite fabrication process. We will also demonstrate scale up of fabrication process and develop a plan for commercial manufacturing of this new generation of nanodielectrics. Agiltron is an emerging source for advanced nanomaterials and devices with a strategy of creating a series of spinoff companies.