Influence of moisture and filler surface properties on the dielectric spectrum of epoxy-based nanocomposites

Since the interfacial area between nanoparticles and a polymer matrix can influence the overall characteristics of a nanocomposite, it is the aim to understand the nature and properties of such interfaces. In the present study, epoxy-based nanocomposites with different materials and weight percentages of nanoscale fillers (SiO
2
, Al
2
O
3
and TiO
2
) were investigated with respect to the impact of water content on their dielectric spectrum. In general, the permittivity of the bulk material increases with increasing moisture and filler content. In particular, moisture in nanocomposites with hydrophilic particles leads to an additional maximum in the spectra of the imaginary part of permittivity.