Recent Advances in Polymer‐Based Dielectric Composites

ABSTRACT With the continued miniaturization, integration, and lightweighting of electronic devices, polymer‐based dielectric materials have attracted extensive attention, particularly for capacitive energy storage and high‐voltage insulation. Compared with conventional ceramic dielectrics, polymer matrices offer advantages such as low density, excellent flexibility, ease of processing, and good mechanical integrity. However, their practical implementation is still limited by several intrinsic drawbacks, including relatively low dielectric constant, insufficient breakdown strength, poor thermal stability, and the difficulty of simultaneously achieving low dielectric loss and high energy density. In recent years, extensive efforts have been devoted to overcoming these limitations through the incorporation of functional fillers, interfacial engineering, multiscale structural design, and advanced fabrication strategies. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in polymer‐based dielectric composites from multiple perspectives. In particular, the paper primarily focuses on polymer‐based dielectric composites for capacitive energy storage, while high‐voltage insulation is discussed as a secondary application context. The discussion mainly centers on dielectric composites for capacitive energy storage, with emphasis on simultaneously achieving high dielectric constant, high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, and thermal stability. First, the types, characteristics, and modification strategies of common fillers, including metallic, carbon‐based, ceramic, and polymeric fillers, are discussed. Then, representative interfacial engineering approaches such as surface treatment, coupling agents, plasma modification, and core‐shell architectures are analyzed, with emphasis on their roles in reducing interfacial defects and regulating charge transport. Next, the polarization mechanisms governing dielectric behavior, including electronic polarization, dipolar polarization, and interfacial polarization, are reviewed in detail. Fourth, major fabrication methods, such as solution casting, solution blending, in situ polymerization, and 3D printing, are summarized in terms of their effects on microstructure and performance. In addition, emerging topics including numerical simulation, machine learning‐assisted design, and sustainability‐oriented material development are highlighted. Overall, the key to improving polymer‐based dielectric composites lies in the coordinated optimization of filler selection, interfacial structure, and multiscale architecture. Finally, this review outlines the current bottlenecks and future directions for developing high‐performance, low‐loss, thermally stable, and scalable dielectric composites for next‐generation energy storage and electronic systems.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Polymer Engineering and Science
Published
2026-09-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.70744
Primary Topic
Dielectric materials and actuators
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

Recent Advances in Polymer‐Based Dielectric Composites

Shang Ke Yang, Ai Ping Zhang, Hai Lan Lin, Dai Qiang Chen et al.
Polymer Engineering and Science
Dielectric materials and actuators
article

Recent Advances in Polymer‐Based Dielectric Composites

Shang Ke Yang, Ai Ping Zhang, Hai Lan Lin, Dai Qiang Chen, Ke Yang Ni, Ke Cheng Yang, Jun Jie Bian, Jun Jun Wu, Qian Lai, De Li
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT With the continued miniaturization, integration, and lightweighting of electronic devices, polymer‐based dielectric materials have attracted extensive attention, particularly for capacitive energy storage and high‐voltage insulation. Compared with conventional ceramic dielectrics, polymer matrices offer advantages such as low density, excellent flexibility, ease of processing, and good mechanical integrity. However, their practical implementation is still limited by several intrinsic drawbacks, including relatively low dielectric constant, insufficient breakdown strength, poor thermal stability, and the difficulty of simultaneously achieving low dielectric loss and high energy density. In recent years, extensive efforts have been devoted to overcoming these limitations through the incorporation of functional fillers, interfacial engineering, multiscale structural design, and advanced fabrication strategies. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in polymer‐based dielectric composites from multiple perspectives. In particular, the paper primarily focuses on polymer‐based dielectric composites for capacitive energy storage, while high‐voltage insulation is discussed as a secondary application context. The discussion mainly centers on dielectric composites for capacitive energy storage, with emphasis on simultaneously achieving high dielectric constant, high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, and thermal stability. First, the types, characteristics, and modification strategies of common fillers, including metallic, carbon‐based, ceramic, and polymeric fillers, are discussed. Then, representative interfacial engineering approaches such as surface treatment, coupling agents, plasma modification, and core‐shell architectures are analyzed, with emphasis on their roles in reducing interfacial defects and regulating charge transport. Next, the polarization mechanisms governing dielectric behavior, including electronic polarization, dipolar polarization, and interfacial polarization, are reviewed in detail. Fourth, major fabrication methods, such as solution casting, solution blending, in situ polymerization, and 3D printing, are summarized in terms of their effects on microstructure and performance. In addition, emerging topics including numerical simulation, machine learning‐assisted design, and sustainability‐oriented material development are highlighted. Overall, the key to improving polymer‐based dielectric composites lies in the coordinated optimization of filler selection, interfacial structure, and multiscale architecture. Finally, this review outlines the current bottlenecks and future directions for developing high‐performance, low‐loss, thermally stable, and scalable dielectric composites for next‐generation energy storage and electronic systems.

Polymer Engineering and Science
Xihua University (CN), Sichuan University (CN), Changchun University of Technology (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 21%
Dielectric materials and actuators
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.