Engineering lossy artificial dielectrics using single-walled carbon nanotubes

This paper measured the complex permittivity of 0.1wt.% (0.32 vol.%) SWNT-loaded petroleum jelly from 0.9-6 GHz. The imaginary part of the effective permittivity was increased dramatically while the real part was comparatively insensitive. Furthermore, calculations show that easily realized tri-component artificial dielectrics can compensate for this small increase in the real permittivity. These results are representative of many low-permittivity, low-loss, and moldable dielectrics where carbon nanotubes can be well distributed throughout the volume. Finally, a design procedure for a tri-component artificial dielectric was given which gives significant flexibility and ease in manufacturing broadband, lossy dielectric materials beginning with a carbon nanotube loaded dielectric.