Invention Reference Number
New demands in electric vehicles have resulted in design changes for the power electronic components such as the capacitor to incur lower volume, higher operating temperatures, and dielectric properties (high dielectric permittivity and high electrical breakdown strengths). Current commercial capacitors are limited by their low dielectric breakdown strength, low capacitance density, and low operating temperatures. To address future needs this novel material inherits the benefits of both ceramic and polymer material systems. The composite dielectric material is realized through unique formulation to overcome the shortcomings of the standard technologies, utilizing roll to roll, scalable fabrication processes, and decreasing the overall volume needed for the capacitor.
Description
Capacitors used in power converter systems (decoupling or filtration purposes) typically are made of ceramics or polymeric dielectric materials, both of which have limitations with the new demands of high temperature, high energy density, and reliable operation. Ceramic dielectric materials have high dielectric constant but low breakdown voltages and tend to crack due to thermal and mechanical shocks, which leads to short circuit failure. On the other hand, polymers possess high breakdown voltages but have lower dielectric constant and undergo thermal degradation at high operating temperatures. This technology takes the best features of both materials by creating a ceramic-polymer composite, making use of an additive to produce a stable, homogenous dielectric material. This novel dielectric nanocomposite reduces the volume and promises a reliable device operation, enabling higher-temperature operation (≥200 degrees Celsius) with a high dielectric constant (200 - 500). By adding a dispersant, the technology improves dielectric properties resulting in high performance both in high temperature and in dielectric strength, while enabling decreased volume. This capacitor technology is expected to result in superior performance to existing technologies, a pathway to meet future power electronics needs for a multitude of applications.
Benefits
- Lower cost
- High dielectric strength
- Operates at high temperatures
- Reduced footprint
- Produce using less energy
- Stable, homogenous dispersion
- Self-healable, will not burn
Applications and Industries
- Automotive/electric vehicle manufacturing
- Battery/capacitor manufacturing
- Any industry using power electronics for high power applications
- Capacitor manufacturing companies
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
