A high-performance dielectric block copolymer with a self-assembled superhelical nanotube morphology

A block copolymer consisting of functional polynorbornene (PNBE) and polyacetylene (PA) segments was synthesized by tandem metathesis polymerization, and self-assembled into a superhelical nanotube morphology from achiral building blocks. Bearing insulated PNBE and conductive PA segments with unique nanostructures, the block copolymers displayed high dielectric permittivities of 25-29, low dielectric losses of 0.03-0.04, and excellent stored/released energy densities of 2.0-1.9/1.7-1.2 J cm^-3 under the breakdown fields of 270-200 MV m^-1, due to strong dipolar and nanointerfacial polarizations as well as stereoregular chain microstructure contributions. This strategy provided a new way for the development of advanced nanodielectric materials.