Preparation and electrical properties of titania nanowire-epoxy nanocomposites

This work investigates the effects of semiconducting TiO₂ nanowires on electrical properties of epoxy. TiO₂ nanowires with diameters around 50 nm and length between 1 and 3 micrometer were prepared by a hydrothermal process, and then uniformly dispersed into epoxy matrix through a solution route by sonication. After cured by temperature programed heating, the electrical properties of the samples, including dc volume resistivity, dielectric permittivity dependence on frequencies, and Thermally Stimulated Discharge Current (TSDC) were measured. These properties are compared to those measured from SiO₂ nanoparticle-epoxy and TiO₂ nanoparticle-epoxy composites prepared using the same method. Results of this study show some interesting dielectric characteristics and confirm the fact that the adding of TiO₂ nanowires has a large influence on their dielectric properties.