Effect of MWCNT nanofiller on the dielectric performance of bio-inspired gelatin based nanocomposites

In this work, multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced bio-derived gelatin-based polymer nanocomposites were synthesized following an easy and affordable solution-casting method. The effects of different concentrations of MWCNTs on the structural, surface morphological, and dielectric properties of the nanocomposites were studied. A four-fold increase in the dielectric constant is observed due to the incorporation of just 0.02 wt% of MWCNT nanofiller into the polymer matrix. The modified Cole–Cole model was used to analyze the effect of nanofiller concentrations on the different dielectric parameters of the nanocomposite. The incorporation of MWCNTs was found to increase the dielectric strength and reduce the relaxation time of the nanocomposite. The AC conductivity of the nanocomposites was found to be improved due to the incorporation of the MWCNT nanofiller. A quantitative study based on the simulation of the complex impedance spectra demonstrates that the addition of MWCNTs into the nanocomposite decreases the grain barrier resistance from 5935 kΩ to 261 kΩ and increases the capacitive component from 0 to 23.25 μF. The improved dielectric performance of the nanocomposites can be attributed to the space charge polarization effect and is illustrated with a charge transport mechanism model. This biopolymer-based nanocomposite material with a large dielectric constant together with a small loss tangent may offer a potential route for the fabrication of fully biocompatible electrostatic capacitors and energy storage devices.