Performance of Nano-SiO2-Filled Poly(ether ketone ketone) Substrate for Fifth-Generation Communication

Nano-SiO2 particles have been incorporated into high-performance poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) polymers to prepare satisfactory nanocomposite substrates for fifth-generation (5G) communication. Significantly lower dielectric constant (epsilon(r)), dielectric loss (tan delta), and linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) were found for each (PEKKaSiO2y)-Si-x nanocomposite film series incorporated with proper loadings of nano-SiO2 particles. The dielectric characteristics measured for each (PEKKaSiO2y)-Si-x nanocomposite film series decreased to a minimum as the nano-SiO2 loading approached an optimum value. Satisfactory epsilon(r) (2.74 at 1 MHz), tan delta (0.00309 at 1 MHz), and linear CTE (similar to 37 x 10(-6)/degrees C) for 5G high-speed communication were found for the nanocomposite film modified with the optimum nano-SiO2 loading of 10 wt.%. The porosity values measured for each (PEKKaSiO2y)-Si-x film series remained nearly zero then increased abruptly as the nano-SiO2 loading exceeded 10 wt.%. The free volume characteristics evaluated for each (PEKKaSiO2y)-Si-x film series increased to a maximum as the nano-SiO2 loading reached the optimum value of 10 wt.%. Possible explanations for the noticeably reduced dielectric and linear CTE characteristics found for (PEKKaSiO2y)-Si-x composite films are proposed.