On the Effective Dielectric Permittivity of

Nanocomposite Structures
Omar Nakashidze, Lali Kalandadze, Nugzar Gomidze, Izolda
Jabnidze

Department of Physics, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Georgia

During the investigation of multicomponent nanodispersed structures using

magnetic, optical, and magneto-optical methods, it was discovered that they
don't follow the principles of classical physics. Undoubtedly, any experimental
or theoretical research performed in this field is greatly Interesting as numerous
aspects still remain enigmatic. The article considers a multicomponent
nanodispersed structure consisting of randomly oriented ellipsoidal
nanoparticles in a matrix with a permittivity ε_m. Formulas are obtained for
calculating the effective dielectric permittivity of such a structure. It is shown
that the calculation of the average value of the polarization of particles will be
brought to the introduction of the effective value of the depolarization
coefficient. The dependence of the effective dielectric permittivity of a single-
component nanostructure on its structural parameters has been studied.
Keywords: Nanocomposite Structures, dielectric permittivity, depolarization
coefficient.

Introduction
Effective medium methods are widely used to describe the optical properties of
nanocomposite structures [1-13]. Today, these methods are used to describe both the optical
and magneto-optical properties of nanocomposite structures. However, it should be noted
that experimental data and theoretical results do not always agree [7, 8]. Therefore, the
existing theory is not universally applicable and requires further development in this area. To
this end, this paper discusses a multicomponent nanodispersed structure consisting of
randomly oriented ellipsoidal nanoparticles in a matrix of dielectric permittivity 𝜀𝑚 , and the
average value of the polarization of particles is calculated by introducing the effective value
of the depolarization factor. Accounting for these conditions in the effective medium
approach model is a novelty of the work, which will lead to refinement and improvement of
this model.
A nanodispersed structure can be considered as a new homogeneous medium with an
effective permittivity 𝜀𝑒𝑓 , which has the same optical properties as the given nanodispersed

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93 Omar Nakashidze et al. On the Effective Dielectric Permittivity of Nanocomposite Structures...

structure. Since the size of nanoparticles and the distance between them is less than the
wavelength of light in the medium, it is sufficient to restrict ourselves to the electrostatic
approximation to calculate the effective permittivity 𝜀𝑒𝑓 of such a medium [14].
In order to determine the effective optical constants of a composite medium, we must have
knowledge of the optical properties of each component, including their concentration and
shape. This can be accomplished through the effective medium model. To solve this
problem, we must first address the single-particle problem. Specifically, we need to calculate
the polarization of a nanoparticle of a predetermined shape when placed in an external
electrostatic field.

Dielectric core polarization coefficient

Let us consider the case when the nanoparticles have an ellipsoidal shape. Unlike spherical
particles, ellipsoidal particles are characterized by shape anisotropy. The polarization of
particles depends on the shape, which is determined by the ratio of the principal axes of the
ellipsoid and their orientation in an external electrostatic field.

Fig. 1 Polarized ellipsoid

As theoretical calculations show [2, 12], uniform polarization of the ellipsoid occurs only if
the external field E is oriented in the direction of one of the main axes of the ellipsoid
(𝑖 = 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐), and the depolarization field of the ellipsoid in any of these directions is
expressed by the formula
𝐸⃗𝑑 = −4𝜋𝑓𝑖 𝑃⃗ (1)
where P is the polarization vector and f is called the shape of the ellipsoid or the
depolarization coefficient. It depends on the ratio of the principal axes of the ellipsoid and is
calculated by the integral [2, 12]
∞
𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑑𝑠
𝑓𝑖 = ∫ 1/2
(2)
2 (𝑠 + 𝑖 2 )((𝑠 + 𝑎2 )(𝑠 + 𝑏 2 )(𝑠 + 𝑐 2 ))
0
The depolarization factors 𝑓𝑎 , 𝑓𝑏 and 𝑓𝑐 satisfy the condition:
𝑓𝑎 + 𝑓𝑏 + 𝑓𝑐 = 1 (3)
Also, if 𝑎 < 𝑏 < 𝑐, then 𝑓𝑎 > 𝑓𝑏 > 𝑓𝑐 .
Numerical values of the depolarization coefficients 𝑓𝑎 , 𝑓𝑏 and 𝑓𝑐 for various ratios of a/b and
b/c of the principal axes of the ellipsoid are displayed in Table 1.

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Table 1. Numerical values of the depolarization coefficients 𝑓𝑎 , 𝑓𝑏 and 𝑓𝑐 for various ratios
of a/b and b/c of the principal axes of the ellipsoid
№ 𝑎/𝑏 b/c 𝑓𝑎 𝑓𝑏 𝑓𝑐
1 1/1 1/1 0,333 0,333 0,333
2 1/2 2/3 0,574 0,265 0,161
3 1/4 4/5 0,723 0,158 0,136
4 1/10 1/10 0,901 0,089 0,010
5 1/10 1/1 0,857 0,072 0,072
6 10/1 1/1 0,020 0,490 0,490
The calculations are much easier in the case of a spheroid (a rotating ellipsoid). The two
principal equatorial axes of the spheroid are equal, 𝑏 = 𝑐 ≠ 𝑎 and therefore 𝑓𝑏 = 𝑓𝑐 ≠ 𝑓𝑎 .
In this case, the depolarization factor in the direction of the polar axis 𝑎 will be reduced to an
elementary integral of the following form:
∞
𝑎𝑏 2 𝑑𝑠
𝑓𝑎 = ∫ (4)
2 (𝑠 + 𝑎 ) (𝑠 + 𝑏 2 )
2 3/2
0
In the case of a spheroid oblate concerning the polar axis a<b and an ellipsoid prolate with
respect to the polar axis a>b, the solution of the integral (4) has the form
1 𝜗
1−𝜗2
(1 − ∙ 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑠𝑖𝑛(√1 − 𝜗 2 )) 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎 < 𝑏
√1−𝜗2
𝑓𝑎 = { (5)
1 𝜗
(
𝜗2 −1 √𝜗2 −1
∙ 𝑙𝑛(𝜗 + √𝜗 2 − 1) − 1) 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎 > 𝑏
𝒂
Where 𝝑 = 𝒃 .
1
Coefficient of depolarization relative to the equatorial axis is 𝑓𝑏 = 𝑓𝑐 = (1 − 𝑓𝑎 ).
2
Fig. 2 shows the dependence curves of the depolarization coefficients 𝑓𝑎 and 𝑓𝑏 on the
parameter ϑ.
As can be seen from this graph, the shape factor of the spheroid changes both in the direction
of the rotation axis (0; 1) and in the direction perpendicular to it (0; 0.5).

Fig. 2. The dependences of the depolarization coefficients 𝑓𝑎 and 𝑓𝑏 on the parameter ϑ for a
spheroid

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Let's take a look at the following cases:

1. 𝑎 = 𝑏 = 𝑐 - factor of nucleus depolarization is: 𝑓𝑎 = 𝑓𝑏 = 𝑓𝑐 ;
2. 𝑎 ≫ 𝑏 - a strongly elongated spheroid (needle) about the axis of rotation, form factor 𝑓𝑎 =
1
0 along the axis of rotation and 𝑓𝑏 = in its perpendicular direction;
2
3. 𝑎 ≪ 𝑏 - a spheroid that is highly flattened into a disk shape, 𝑓𝑎 = 1 (direction
perpendicular to the axis or plane of the disk) and 𝑓𝑏 = 0 (directed perpendicular to the axis
of the disk or along the plane).
Let us return to the problem of a dielectric ellipsoid and calculate the polarization of a
nucleus with volume V and permittivity ε placed in an external electrostatic field 𝐸⃗0 . Let us
assume that the medium around the nucleus is a vacuum. In this case, the local field strength
acting on the particle, which is equal to the sum of the external 𝐸⃗0 and depolarization 𝐸⃗𝑑
fields, is expressed by the formula:
𝐸⃗𝐿 = 𝐸⃗0 − 4𝜋𝑓𝑖 𝑃⃗ (6)
For the dielectric susceptibility 𝜒
𝜀 = 1 + 4𝜋𝜒 (7)
and
𝑃⃗ = 𝜒𝐸⃗𝐿 (8)
From formulas (6-8) we obtain the polarization vector:
1 𝜀−1
𝑃⃗ = ∙ 𝐸⃗0 . (9)
4𝜋 1+𝑓(𝜀−1)
The dipole moment acquired by a particle in an external field 𝐸⃗0 is expressed by the formula
𝑉 𝜀−1
𝑃⃗0 = 𝑃⃗ ∙ 𝑉 = 4𝜋 ∙ 1+𝑓(𝜀−1) 𝐸⃗0 (10)
Therefore, the polarization of a sphere with volume V and the permittivity ε in a vacuum will
be equal to
⃗⃗
𝑷 𝑽 𝜺−1
𝛽𝑖 = ⃗⃗ 0 = 𝟒𝝅 1+𝒇 (𝜺−1) (11)
𝑬𝟎 𝒊
and the polarization coefficient
𝑃⃗ 𝟏 𝜺−1
𝛼𝑖 = ⃗⃗ = (12)
𝑬𝟎 𝟒𝝅 1+𝒇𝒊(𝜺−1)
Suppose a particle whose permittivity is equal to ε is placed in a dielectric with permittivity
𝜀𝑚 . In this case, the problem will be reduced to determining the polarization coefficient of a
𝜀
particle of relative permittivity 𝜉 = 𝜀 placed in a vacuum [14].
𝑚
If we replace ε in formula (12) with relative permittivity 𝜉 = 𝜀/𝜀𝑚 , we get for an ellipsoid,
with permittivity ε and volume V, placed in the permittivity matrix 𝜺𝑚 , the following
formula for calculating the polarization coefficient:
1 𝜺 − 𝜺𝑚
𝜶𝒊 = . (13)
𝟒𝝅 𝜺𝑚 + 𝒇𝒊 (𝜺 − 𝜺𝑚 )

Effective dielectric permittivity of a nanocomposite structure

Let us consider a multicomponent nanocomposite structure consisting of anisotropic
nanoparticles (inserts) randomly distributed in a dielectric (matrix) with permittivity 𝜀𝑚 . To
sort the particles according to the permittivity 𝜺𝒊 (i=1,2,3,∙ ∙∙,n). In this case, the problem will
also be reduced to determining the effective permittivity 𝝃𝒆𝒇 = 𝜺𝒆𝒇 ⁄𝜺𝒎 of the same
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ensemble of particles with relative permittivity 𝝃𝒊 = 𝜺𝒊 ⁄𝜺𝒎 placed in a vacuum. Suppose the
particles have identical ellipsoid shapes and are oriented in the same direction, and the
external field 𝐸⃗0 acting on the environment is directed towards one of the main axes of the
ellipsoids. Then there will be equal polarization of particles (Fig. 3).

Fig.3. A model of a multicomponent nanocomposite.

In order to determine the average depolarization field 𝑬 ⃗ 𝒅 created by polarized particles, we
make the assumption that these particles are situated within an ellipsoidal void that
corresponds to their shape and orientation. In this case [13]:
𝐸⃗𝑑 = 4𝜋𝑓𝑃⃗ (14)
Where 𝒇 is the coefficient of depolarization of the ellipsoid in the direction of the field. The
average value of the local field 𝑬 ⃗ 𝑳 acting on particles is equal to the sum of the average
values of the fields ⃗𝑬0 and ⃗𝑬𝒅 directed in the direction of the main axis of the ellipsoids, and
is expressed by the formula:
𝐸⃗𝐿 = 𝐸⃗0 + 4𝜋𝑓𝑃⃗ (15)
If the dielectric susceptibilities of a given medium are equal to 𝝌𝒆𝒇 , then
𝑃⃗ = 𝜒𝒆𝒇 𝐸⃗𝐿 (16)
and
𝜉𝑒𝑓 = 1 + 4𝜋𝜒𝑒𝑓 (17)
The polarization coefficient of ellipsoidal particles of permittivity 𝝃𝒊 is determined by the
formula (13):
1 𝜉 −1
𝑖
𝛼𝑖 = 4𝜋 1+𝑓(𝜉 −1)
(18)
𝑖
where 𝒇 is the shape factor of the ellipsoid in the direction of the field. If the concentrations
of particles with permittivities 𝜺𝒊 (i=1,2,3,∙ ∙∙,n) are equal to 𝑛𝑖 , and the volumes are 𝑉𝑖 , then
under the action of the field ⃗𝑬𝑳 the dipole moment of particles with permittivities 𝝃𝒊 is equal
to 𝑝𝑖 = 𝑉𝑖 𝛼𝑖 𝐸⃗𝐿 , and the polarization vector (the sum of the dipole moments of particles
placed in a unit volume) will be equal to:
𝑃⃗ = ∑ 𝑛𝑖 𝑉𝑖 𝛼𝑖 ∙ 𝐸⃗𝐿 (19)
By simple transformations from formulas (15), (16), (17), (18) and (19) we obtain:

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𝜉𝑒𝑓 −1 𝑖 𝜉 −1
1+𝑓(𝜉𝑒𝑓 −1)
= ∑ 𝑞𝑖 ∙ 1+𝑓(𝜉 −1)
(20)
𝑖

where 𝑞𝑖 = 𝑛𝑖 𝑉𝑖 is the volume fraction of particles of component 𝑖, i.e., volume fill factor.
Note that the same result is obtained when considering different volumes of particles with
permittivity 𝜉𝑖 . In (20), when replacing 𝜉𝑖 = 𝜀𝑖 ⁄𝜀𝑚 and 𝜉𝑒𝑓 = 𝜀𝑒𝑓 ⁄𝜀𝑚 , the formula for
calculating the effective permittivity of the medium will be written as
𝜀𝑒𝑓 −𝜀𝑚 𝜀𝑖 −𝜀𝑚
= ∑ 𝑞𝑖 ∙
𝜀𝑑 +𝑓(𝜀𝑒𝑓 −𝜀𝑚 ) 𝜀𝑑 +𝑓(𝜀𝑖 −𝜀𝑚 )
(21)
(21) is a generalized formula for the Maxwell-Garnett effective medium model for a
multicomponent nanodispersed medium with anisotropic constituent particles.
For a one-component nanocomposite medium 𝜀𝑖 = 𝜀, 𝑞𝑖 = 𝑞, from formula (6.8) we obtain
the following formula for calculating the effective permittivity:
𝑞(𝜀−𝜀𝑚 )
𝜀𝑒𝑓 = 𝜀𝑚 (1 + ) (22)
𝜀𝑚 +𝑓(1−𝑞)(𝜀−𝜀𝑚 )

Effective depolarization factor

In the case of randomly oriented particles of an elliptical shape, the average value of the
ellipsoid polarization in the direction of the principal axes should be used:
1 1 1 𝜀−𝜀𝑚 1 𝜉−1
𝛼̅𝑖 = 3 ∑ 𝛼𝑖 = 3 ∑ 4𝜋 ∙ 𝜀 = 12𝜋 ∑ 1+𝑓 (𝜉−1) (23)
𝑚 +𝑓𝑖 (𝜀−𝜀𝑚 ) 𝑖
Let us explore whether it is possible to determine the average value of the polarization of the
ellipsoid by introducing the effective form factor 𝑓𝑒𝑓 . If it is possible, then the value of 𝑓𝑒𝑓
will be in the interval [0;1] and fulfill the relation:
1 𝜀−𝜀𝑚 1 𝜉−1
𝛼̅𝑖 = 4𝜋 𝜀 = 4𝜋 1+𝑓 (24)
𝑚 +𝑓𝑒𝑓 (𝜀−𝜀𝑚 ) 𝑒𝑓 (𝜉−1)

From formulas (21) and (22) we can derive the following formula for the spheroid (𝑓𝑏 =
𝑓𝑐 ≠ 𝑓𝑎 )
1 3∙(1+(𝜉−1)𝑓𝑎 )(1+(𝜉−1)𝑓𝑏 )
𝑓𝑒𝑓 = ∙( − 1) (25)
𝜉−1 3+(𝜉−1)(2𝑓𝑎 +𝑓𝑏 )
Therefore, the effective shape factor is determined by the relative permittivity of the particle
and the medium around the particle 𝜉 = 𝜺/𝜺𝒎 and depends on the ratio of the principal axes
𝒂
of the spheroid 𝝑 = .
𝒃
Fig. 4 shows the dependence of 𝑓𝑒𝑓 on the relative permittivity 𝜉, considering the parameters
ϑ=a/b with values of a>b, a=b, and a<b.

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Fig. 4. Dependencies of the 𝒇𝒆𝒇 on the 𝜉 with different 𝝑

As shown in Fig. 4 the value of the effective depolarization factor is always in the range 0-1.
This makes it possible to prove that an ensemble of anisotropic nanoparticles can be replaced
by an ensemble of nanoparticles with a depolarization coefficient 𝑓𝑒𝑓 uniformly oriented
with respect to the external electric field.
Taking into account the effective depolarization factor, formula (22) is written in the
following form:
𝑞(𝜀 − 𝜀𝑚 )
𝜀𝑒𝑓 = 𝜀𝑚 (1 + ) (26)
𝜀𝑚 + 𝑓𝑒𝑓 (1 − 𝑞)(𝜀 − 𝜀𝑚 )
From formula (26) for given values of the parameters 𝑞, 𝜀 and 𝜀𝑚 , when 𝑓𝑒𝑓=0, we obtain
𝜀𝑒𝑓 = 𝑞𝜀 + (1 − 𝑞)𝜀𝑚 , (27)
And when 𝑓𝑒𝑓 = 1 we get
1 𝑞 1−𝑞
= + (28)
𝜀𝑒𝑓 𝜀 𝜀𝑚
For any configuration of nanocomposite structures, formulas (27) and (28) determine the
minimum and maximum values of the effective dielectric permittivity.

Conclusions
The article considers a multicomponent nanodispersed structure consisting of randomly
oriented ellipsoidal nanoparticles. Formulas are obtained for calculating the effective
dielectric permittivity of such a structure. It has been demonstrated that if particles are
randomly oriented, calculating the average value of the system's polarization vector can be
simplified by introducing the effective form factor 𝑓𝑒𝑓 . Formulas are derived to calculate the
upper and lower limits of effective permittivity for any configuration of a nanocomposite
structure.
The article discusses nanoparticles with dielectric properties. When nanoparticles are
conductors, the polarization coefficient, effective form factor, and effective permittivity are
complex quantities and require additional research.

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