The existing polymer dielectrics as insulating packaging media can no longer meet the insulation demands in highly integrated power electronic devices. Self-adaptive dielectrics with nonlinear dielectric response have been explored to eliminate electric field distortion caused by charge accumulation, but traditional strategies based on Schottky barriers result in interface defects. Here, we report polymer dielectric composites with customizable potential wells in recycled melamine foam-derived graphitic carbon nitride frameworks that overcome concerns about interface defects. We demonstrate that potential wells can efficiently capture low-energy charge carriers and release them for rapid transport under high electric fields. Notably, by doping donor or acceptor states into the frameworks, precise control over potential well depth and distribution was achieved, allowing customization of both nonlinear conductivity and threshold electric field strength. This work establishes a generalizable strategy for engineering next-generation self-adaptive dielectrics, enabling intelligent insulation behavior and enhanced reliability in high-field, high-temperature electronic packaging environments. Polymer dielectrics struggle to meet insulation needs in advanced power electronics due to field distortion from charge buildup. The authors design tunable carbon-nitride-based composites that trap and release charges to enable customizable nonlinear insulation.
Zhang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.