To investigate the interrelation of nano-composite dielectrics between electrical performance and microstructure
nanoAl
2
O
3
-epoxy composites are prepared by mechanical dispersion method. It is observed by SEM that nanoAl
2
O
3
particles are well dispersed in epoxy matrix. The effects of nanoAl
2
O
3
on dielectric response and breakdown of epoxy are studied by dielectric property test and breakdown examination. With the increasing filler loading
the dielectric constant decreases first and then increases
and reaches the lowest when the mass fraction of nanoAl
2
O
3
gets 1%. The breakdown field stre
ngth has the opposite trend: it increases first and then decreases
and reaches the highest value of 43 400 V when the mass fraction of nanoAl
2
O
3
gets 1%
increasing by 11.8% compared with pure epoxy. It is indicated that interaction zone between nanoparticle and epoxy matrix plays an important role in short-time breakdown. When the content of the particles is small
the thickness of interaction zone is less than the carriers' free path to block carriers to migrate
so the breakdown field strength increases. When the content increases
the overlapped interaction zone leads a lower breakdown field strength.
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