# US 8,785,521 B2 · Two-particle nanocomposite dielectrics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,521 B2 - Document ID: US8785521B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/143,726 - Filed: 2011-03-29 - Published: 2013-08-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-29 - Assignees: Empire Technology Development LLC - Applicants: Seth Adrian Miller; Gary Lynn Duerksen - Inventors: Seth Adrian Miller; Gary Lynn Duerksen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785521B2 ## CPC - C08K 3/22: of metals - C08K 5/10: Esters; Ether-esters - C08K 5/5333: Esters of phosphonic acids - C08K 5/5419: containing at least one Si—C bond - H01B 3/002: {Inhomogeneous material in general} - H01G 4/08: Inorganic dielectrics - H01G 4/206: {inorganic and synthetic material} - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract Technologies are generally described for a nanocomposite polymer dielectric that may incorporate two types of nanoparticles and a polymer. One of the two types of nanoparticle may be a first, smaller nanoparticle, that may occupy spaces between larger second nanoparticles. Another of the two types of nanoparticle may be the second, larger, “high-κ” nanoparticle, which supports the overall dielectric constant of the material. In an applied electric field, the first, smaller nanoparticle may redistribute local charge to homogenize electric fields in the dielectric material, tending to avoid the development of “hot spots”. Such a two-nanoparticle nanocomposite dielectric material may provide increased dielectric breakdown strength and voltage endurance in comparison with a nanoparticle dielectric which only contains a single type of “high-κ” nanoparticle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dielectric material, comprising: a polymer; a distribution of first nanoparticles, the first nanoparticles having a first average diameter, and the first nanoparticles including one or more of a semiconductor or insulator; and a distribution of second nanoparticles, the second nanoparticles having a second average diameter that is larger than the first average diameter, the second nanoparticles having a bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 10, wherein the first or second nanoparticles include an organic surface layer and wherein the dielectric material separates a first electrode and a second electrode of a capacitor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the polymer is one or more of an epoxy, a polyolefin, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene, and/or a polytetrafluoroethylene. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a dielectric strength greater than about 20 megavolts/meter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the first nanoparticles include one or more of silicon dioxide, alumina, ceria, and/or zirconia. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the second nanoparticles have the bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 100. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the second nanoparticles include one or more of barium titanate, barium strontium titanate, strontium titanate, titanium dioxide, lead zirconate titanate, and/or hafnium oxide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the organic surface layer includes one of an alkyl phosphonate, an alkyl carboxylate, an alkylsiloxane, or a crosslinking agent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the organic surface layer is n-octyl phosphonic acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the second average diameter of the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 2 to about 100 times larger than the first average diameter of the distribution of the first nanoparticles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the second average diameter is between about 25 nanometers and about 200 nanometers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the first average diameter is less than about 25 nanometers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The dielectric material of claim 1, wherein the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 40% and about 70% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dielectric material of claim 12, wherein the distribution of the first nanoparticles are between about 1% and about 30% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 14 A capacitor, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a dielectric material that separates the first and second electrodes, the dielectric material comprising: a polymer; a distribution of first nanoparticles, the first nanoparticles having a first average diameter, and the first nanoparticles including one of a semiconductor or insulator; and a distribution of second nanoparticles, the second nanoparticles having a second average diameter that is larger than the first average diameter, and the second nanoparticles having a bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 10, wherein the first or second nanoparticles include an organic surface layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the polymer is one or more of an epoxy, a polyolefin, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene, and/or a polytetrafluoroethylene. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the polymer has a dielectric strength greater than about 20 megavolts/meter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the first nanoparticles include one or more of silicon dioxide, alumina, ceria, and/or zirconia. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the second nanoparticles have the bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 100. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the second nanoparticles include one or more of barium titanate, barium strontium titanate, strontium titanate, titanium dioxide, lead zirconate titanate, and/or hafnium oxide. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the second average diameter of the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 2 to about 100 times larger than the first average diameter of the distribution of the first nanoparticles. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the second average diameter is between about 25 nanometers and about 200 nanometers. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the first average diameter is less than about 25 nanometers. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 40% and about 70% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the distribution of the first nanoparticles are between about 1% and about 30% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 25 A method of making a dielectric material, comprising: contacting a distribution of first nanoparticles with a polymer, the first nanoparticles having a first average diameter, and the first nanoparticles including one of a semiconductor or insulator; contacting the polymer to a distribution of second nanoparticles, the second nanoparticles having a second average diameter that is larger than the first average diameter, the second nanoparticles having a bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 10, wherein the first or second nanoparticles include an organic surface layer and wherein the dielectric material separates a first electrode and a second electrode of a capacitor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising: contacting at least one of the first and the second nanoparticles with a solution of the polymer in an organic solvent; and removing the organic solvent. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising: contacting at least one of the first and the second nanoparticles with a precursor of the polymer; and polymerizing the precursor to form the polymer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the polymer is one or more of an epoxy, a polyolefin, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene, and/or a polytetrafluoroethylene. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the polymer has a dielectric strength greater than about 20 megavolts/meter. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the first nanoparticles include one or more of silicon dioxide, alumina, ceria, and/or zirconia. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the second nanoparticles have the bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 100. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the second nanoparticles include one or more of barium titanate, barium strontium titanate, strontium titanate, titanium dioxide, lead zirconate titanate, and/or hafnium oxide. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the second average diameter of the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 2 to about 100 times larger than the first average diameter of the distribution of the first nanoparticles. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the second average diameter is between about 25 nanometers and about 200. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the first average diameter is less than about 25 nanometers. ### Claim 36 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the distribution of the second nanoparticles is between about 40% and about 70% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 37 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the distribution of the first nanoparticles are between about 1% and about 30% of the dielectric material by volume. ### Claim 38 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein both the first nanoparticles and the second nanoparticles each have an organic surface layer. ### Claim 39 (depends on 14) The capacitor of claim 14, wherein the first nanoparticles are distributed through the polymer so as to occupy spaces between the second nanoparticles. ### Claim 40 A capacitor, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a dielectric material that separates the first and second electrodes, the dielectric material comprising: a polymer; a distribution of first nanoparticles, the first nanoparticles having a first average diameter, and the first nanoparticles including one of a semiconductor or insulator; and a distribution of second nanoparticles, the second nanoparticles having a second average diameter that is larger than the first average diameter, and the second nanoparticles having a bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 10, wherein the second nanoparticles include one or more of nanoparticles selected from a group of nanoparticles consisting of silicon dioxide, alumina, ceria, and zirconia. ### Claim 41 A capacitor, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a dielectric material that separates the first and second electrodes, the dielectric material comprising: a polymer; a distribution of first nanoparticles, the first nanoparticles having a first average diameter, and the first nanoparticles including one of a semiconductor or insulator; and a distribution of second nanoparticles, the second nanoparticles having a second average diameter that is larger than the first average diameter, and the second nanoparticles having a bulk dielectric constant κ greater than about 10, wherein the second average diameter is between about 25 nanometers and about 200 nanometers.