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  • Lingjun LIU, Qianqian LIANG, Zhihui XIE, Mingpeng HE, Zhiyu CHEN, Jin AN, Jinyao CHEN, Yue ZHANG, Jian KANG
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 160-169.

    In order to solve the problems of poor dispersibility and weak interface bonding of nano hexagonal boron nitride (BN) in epoxy resin (EP), and to improve the comprehensive performance of EP composite, we used polydopamine (PDA) to modify the surface of BN, and prepared EP/m-BN composites. The microstructure and dispersibility of the modified BN was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and other methods. The thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, dielectric properties, and thermal expansion characteristics of EP and EP/BN composites were systematically tested. The results show that PDA forms a uniform coating layer on the surface of BN through self polymerization, introducing active functional groups such as hydroxyl and amino groups, which significantly inhibits the aggregation of BN and improves its dispersibility in EP. Performance tests indicate that the composite achieves optimal overall performance at an m-BN loading of 10%. Compared with pure EP, the thermal conductivity of EP/m-BN composite increases from 0.21 W/(m·K) to 0.47 W/(m·K), with an increase of 123.8%. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion decreases from 59.2×10-6-1 to 45.5×10-6-1, with a decrease of 23.1%. The tensile strength increases from 42.6 MPa to 58.6 MPa, with an increase of 37.6%. The elongation at break increases from 18.8% to 23.6%, with an increase of 25.5%. And within the frequency range of 10-106 Hz, all EP/m-BN composites maintain a low dielectric constant of 3.5-4, and the composites with 5%-10% of m-SiO2 show a dielectric loss close to pure EP and excellent stability.

  • Ruixuan WANG, Jijia LANG, Xiaohan WANG, Duanyi LI, Xi REN, Zhenzhong WANG, Jingang LIU
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 103-112.

    Four fluorene-containing polyimide (PI) resins without per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PI-Ia (BPAF-BAOFL), PI-IIa (BPFDA-BAOFL), PI-Ib (BPAF-FDAADA), and PI-IIb (BPFDA-FDAADA) were prepared from two fluo-rene-containing dianhydrides 9,9-bis[(3,4-dicarboxy)benzene]fluorene dianhydride (BPAF, I) and 9,9-bis[4-(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]fluorene dianhydride (BPFDA,II) and the fluorene-containing diamines 9,9-bis[(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]fluorene (BAOFL,a) and 9,9-bis[4-(4-aminobenzamide)phenyl]fluorene (FDAADA,b), respectively via two-step chemical imidization procedure. The corresponding PI films were prepared by the solution processing procedure. The results show that the derived PI resins show good solubility in polar N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and cyclopentanone (CPA). The incorporation of fluorene substituents endows the PI films good thermal resistance with the glass transition temperatures (Tg) over 298℃. The BAOFL-based PI films (PI-Ia and PI-IIa) exhibit low dielectric features with the dielectric constants (Dk) and dielectric dissipation factors (Df) in the range of 2.87 to 3.20 and 0.006 6 to 0.012 3, respectively at 10 GHz. While the FDAADA-based PI films (PI-Ib and PI-IIb) shows a bit deteriorated dielectric feature due to the existence of polar amide units (-CONH-). However, the high-temperature dimensional stability of the FDAADA-based PI films is improved with the linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values as low as 38.9×10-6 K-1.

  • Ruixuan WANG, Lei XU, Jijia LANG, Xiaohan WANG, Duanyi LI, Zhenzhong WANG, Xi REN, Jingang LIU
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 113-122.

    Two fluorine-containing polyimide (PI) resins, including PI-1(6FDA-BATFB) and PI-2(6HDA-BATFB) were prepared from two aromiatic dianhydrides 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) and 4,4′-(isopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6HDA) and an aromatic diamine 1,4-bis[(4-amino-2-trifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzene (BATFB), respectively via two-step chemical imidization procedure. For comparison, two referenced PI resins, including PI-ref1 (6FDA-DMBZ) and PI-ref2 (6HDA-TFMB) were prepared using the dianhydrides 6FDA and 6HDA and the diamines 2,2′-dimethylbenzidine (DMBZ) and 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine (TFMB) as the monomers, respectively. The corresponding PI films were prepared by the solution processing procedure. The testing results show that all the PI resins have good solubility not only in the polar aprotic solvents of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), but in the common solvents of cyclopentanone (CPA) and tetrahydrofuran (THF). The incorporation of trifluoromethyls endow the PI-1 and PI-2 films good dielectric features. The dielectric constants (Dk) of PI-1 and PI-2 at 10 GHz are 2.97 and 3.01, respectively, and the dielectric dissipation factors (Df) of PI-1 and PI-2 are 0.007 7 and 0.006 3 for PI-2, respectively, which are superior to those of the referenced PI films. As for the thermal properties, the glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the terphenyl-bridged PI-1 and PI-2 films is over 309℃, and the linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) value is lower than 50.0×10-6 K-1, which are a bit inferior to those of the referenced PI films. Meanwhile, the PI-1 and PI-2 films exhibit good optical transparency with the optical transmittance higher than 75% at the wavelength of 450 nm.

  • Changshen LI, Weiwang WANG, Zhaopeng WANG, Shihao FAN, Peishi YANG, Chi ZHANG, Yongsheng XU, Mingli FU
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 177-188.

    Aiming to address the challenges in composite insulation, low dielectric constant and loss in high-voltage, high-frequency transformers, this paper aims to investigate the dielectric and breakdown characteristics of a novel composite insulation material composed of fluorocarbon (FC-40) and insulation paper. Firstly, the basic physico-chemical properties of the fluorocarbon were studied, and a Nomex paper-fluorocarbon composite insulation sample was prepared by fully vacuum impregnating Nomex paper with the fluorocarbon. The dielectric and breakdown properties of the composite insulation were investigated using a broadband dielectric spectroscopy system under high-temperature and high-pressure and an AC/DC breakdown testing platform, combined with the Havriliak-Negami (H-N) relaxation distribution model. The results indicate that the Nomex paper-fluorocarbon composite insulation exhibits weak interfacial polarization, leading to a negligible increase in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant in the low-frequency range. The high-frequency relaxation peak shifts to higher frequencies as the temperature increases. Both the permittivity and dielectric loss of the Nomex paper-fluorocarbon composite insulation are significantly lower than those of conventional oil-paper insulation. The AC and DC breakdown strengths of the Nomex pa-per-fluorocarbon composite insulation are substantially higher than those of pure fluorocarbon, and are comparable to those of conventional oil-paper composite insulation. Overall, the Nomex paper-fluorocarbon composite insulation exhibits low permittivity, low dielectric loss, excellent breakdown performance, and high stability, making it a promising candidate for applications in the insulation system of high-frequency power electronic devices.

  • Sitong REN, Yi WANG, Qinpeng PAN
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 82-91.

    With the rapid development of AI technology, AI servers have raised higher requirements for the dielectric properties of polyphenylene ether (PPO) materials. Conventional PPO has a high dielectric constant, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high-frequency signal transmission in AI servers for low dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, and excellent thermal stability. This paper reviewed the research progress of low-dielectric and low-dielectric loss PPO materials in recent years from both physical and chemical modification perspectives, summarized the application and development of modified PPO in core components of AI servers, and provided an outlook on its future development prospects.

  • Yonghao LIU, Chenggang ZHANG, Lan JIANG, Peng XIAO
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 1-9.

    Polyimide (PI), as a type of special polymer materials with excellent comprehensive properties, is widely used in various fields such as electronics and electrical engineering, electrical insulation, and aerospace. However, with the rapid advancement of 5G/6G high-frequency communication technologies, higher requirements have been put forward on the dielectric properties of dielectric layer materials in electronic devices. PI faces significant challenges, including its inherently high dielectric constant (Dk) and dielectric loss (Df), as well as relatively high-water absorption, which restrict its further development in related applications. In this paper, the intrinsic action mechanism of Dk and Df of polymers under electric field was introduced at first, and then the main research progress of low-Dk and low-Df polyimide films in recent years, as well as the modification strategies of polymer molecular structure and dielectric properties were reviewed respectively. Finally, the research direction of low-Dk and low-Df polyimide films was summarized and prospected.

  • Haonan LIU, Shinji ANDO
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 45-55.

    With the rapid progress of high-speed communication as well as millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz (sub-THz) technologies, polymeric insulating materials with low dielectric constant (Dk), low dielectric dissipation factor (Df), and tunable molecular structures are increasingly required in the tens-to-hundreds of GHz range. In recent years, researches on the high-frequency dielectric properties of aromatic and fluorinated polyimides (PIs) have expanded from simple parameter reporting to multiple perspectives, including polarization mechanism analysis, molecular structure control, humidity dependence, and correlations with optical properties. This review provided a systematic overview of the dielectric behavior of PIs above 10 GHz, with a focus on the dominant frequency regimes of dipolar and electronic polarizations, the influence of humidity on Dk and Df, and the modulating effects of fluorine content, free volume, and polar functional group fraction on dielectric dispersion. While ensuring the thermal stability, chemical resistance, and mechanical reliability, the review further summarized molecular design strategies for reducing Dk and Df, and proposed future directions for material optimization toward millimeter-wave and sub-THz applications.

  • Chuang ZHANG, Jingcheng ZHANG, Ruomeng AN, Zixi LIU, Lingqi GUO, Shihang WANG, Shengtao LI
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 170-176.

    As one of the critical insulating materials with low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss for high-voltage and high-power semiconductor devices, silicone gel is highly prone to electrical treeing degradation due to severe operating conditions of high frequency, high voltage, and elevated temperatures. However, existing researches have no enough comprehensive investigations into the growing models and suppression methods of electrical tree in silicone gel, impeding further advancement in high-voltage and high-power devices. This paper established a growing model for electrical tree in silicone gel based on the theory of bond-breaking and self-healing, and validated the accuracy of the model through electrical tree growth and inhibition experiments under high-frequency sinusoidal and bipolar square wave voltage. The results demonstrate that the bond-breaking rate (Rb) and self-healing rate (Rs) collectively regulate the development of electrical tree in silicone gel as the voltage application time increases: when Rb>>Rs, electrical tree grows rapidly; when Rb is slightly greater than Rs, electrical tree exhibits slow growth; when Rb<Rs, electrical tree propagation stagnates. It is indicated that electrical tree in silicone gel under high-frequency sinusoidal or square wave voltages exhibit a stepped propagation characteristic, which aligns with the proposed model. Furthermore, combined with existing data in literature, it is further illustrated that the proposed growth model of electrical trees in silicone gel can be universally applicable to the scenarios driven by different driving factors such as voltage waveforms and temperatures. A method of doping ultraviolet absorber into silicone gel is proposed to suppress electrical tree development. The effectiveness of this method is confirmed through discharge luminescence spectroscopy and laser confocal fluorescence microscopy characterization. This study provides theoretical foundations and experimental references for the further development of high-voltage and high-power encapsulation insulation.

  • Jian BAO, Zhengqiao LI, Jing GUO, Changhao WANG, Zhaochen XI, Di ZHOU
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 10-24.

    Functional inorganic dielectric materials with low dielectric constants (εr<10), represented by ceramic materials, glass-ceramic composites, and microcrystalline glass, play an irreplaceable role in cutting-edge technologies such as high-frequency and high-speed communications, high-density integrated packaging, and high-reliability electronic devices. Among these, high-temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) technology employs high-strength alumina ceramics, high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride ceramics, or low-dielectric-constant silicon-based ceramics as insulating packaging materials. Low-temperature/ultra-low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC/ULTCC) technology employs intrinsically low-sintering-temperature ceramics, sintering aid-reduced sintering-temperature ceramics, glass-ceramic composites, and microcrystalline glass as packaging materials. This paper elaborated and summarized the above low-dielectric-constant inorganic dielectric materials, and prospected the application of machine learning (ML) in the prediction and design of novel low-dielectric and low-loss packaging materials, providing a new route for the development of related systems.

  • Zichen SHI, Rongrui SHI, Zongao DOU, Xi′ao YAN, Yinquan LIU, Nanyang LIN, Jing SUN, Qiang FANG
    Insulating Materials. 2026, 59(6): 25-33.

    The rapid development of 5G/6G high-frequency communication technology has placed unprecedented demands on dielectric materials: they require an extremely low dielectric constant (Dk<2.8) and dielectric loss (Df<10-3). Moreover, new low-dielectric materials must possess excellent hydrophobicity to ensure the long-term stability of their dielectric properties. The intrinsic dielectric properties of traditional materials struggle to meet these requirements, while post-modification strategies like pore generation often sacrifice mechanical performance. This paper systematically discussed a novel design strategy for dielectric materials based on the “long alkyl chain-induced effect”, elaborated the synergistic mechanism of reducing the dielectric constant and loss through free volume effects, polarity control, and trap mechanisms, and emphatically introduced successful implementation in three major polymer systems: fluorene-based polymers, alkylphenyl polymers, and bio-based cardanol polymers. In view of the excellent hydrophobic performance of the as-designed materials, this paper also discussed their potential in ensuring the long-term stability of dielectric properties. Finally, the future development trends and existing challenges in this research field were prospected.