Dielectric constant enhancement of epoxy thermosets via formation of polyelectrolyte nanophases.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate) (PEO-b-PSSNa) diblock copolymer was synthesized and then incorporated into epoxy to obtain the nanostructured epoxy thermosets containing polyelectrolyte nanophases. This PEO-b-PSSNa diblock copolymer was synthesized via the radical polymerization of p-styrenesulfonate mediated with 4-cyano-4-(thiobenzoylthio)valeric ester-terminated poly(ethylene oxide). The formation of polyelectrolyte (i.e., PSSNa) nanophases in epoxy followed a self-assembly mechanism. The precursors of epoxy acted as the selective solvent of the diblock copolymer, and thus, the self-assembled nanostructures were formed. The self-organized nanophases were fixed through the subsequent curing reaction. By means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), the morphologies of the nanostructured epoxy thermosets containing PSSNa nanophases were investigated. In the glassy state, the epoxy matrixes were significantly reinforced by the spherical...