Dielectric Properties of Short Nylon-6 Fiber-Reinforced NBR Composites

Short nylon‐6 fiber‐reinforced acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) composites were prepared, and their dielectric properties such as dielectric constant, volume resistivity, and dielectric loss factor have been studied as a function of frequency at different fiber loadings. The effects of curing systems and bonding agents on the dielectric properties have also been studied. The dielectric constant decreases with an increase in frequency, which is attributed to the decrease in orientation polarization at higher frequencies. The dielectric constant values have been found to be lower for fiber‐filled systems than for the gum. Composite samples cured with dicumyl peroxide exhibit a higher dielectric constant than the corresponding sulfur‐cured systems. The addition of bonding agents reduces the dielectric constant of the composites. The volume resistivities of the composites increase with the addition of fibers and with the incorporation of the bonding agents. The added fibers and the different bonding agents decrease the dielectric dissipation factor of the rubber matrix. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E90–E102, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.20274