Enhanced dielectric and electrical energy storage capability of polymers with combined azobenzene and triphenylamine side groups by ring-opening metathesis polymerization

Polymers with strong polar side groups of combined push-pull azobenzene and triphenylamine were synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and exhibited excellent dielectric and energy storage properties mainly due to highly dipolar polarization. The dielectric constant of polymer containing one azobenzene group and one triphenylamine group was 13.5, which was enhanced to 15.7 when one azobenzene group and two triphenylamine groups were incorporated into polymer in virtue of its higher dipole density. Besides, the dielectric loss of polymers was lowered to 0.004–0.025, and the stored-energy density of polymer can reach up to 5.09 J cm⁻³ at electric field strength of 270 MV m⁻¹ with good charge-discharge efficiency of 86.4%. Therefore, polymers are promising for dielectric and electrical energy storage applications.