Dielectric properties of epoxy-dielectrics-carbon black composite for phantom materials at radio frequencies

In order to develop new dry phantom materials that can simulate the effect of electromagnetic wave on human tissues, the dielectric properties of the phantom materials composed of dielectrics, carbon black, and epoxy resin were investigated. For dielectrics/epoxy composite, the dielectric constants increased with the content of dielectric powder and were independent of frequency at the measured frequency range. The dielectric constants and conductivity of carbon black/epoxy composite also in- creased with the carbon black, but it showed the frequency dependence that the complex dielectric constants decreased with increasing frequency. The dielectric con- stants and conductivity corresponding to human tissues could be obtained by combining the frequency dependence of carbon black/epoxy composite with the dielectric proper- ties of dielectrics/epoxy composite and by adjusting the composition ratios of carbon black, dielectrics, and epoxy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1294 -1302, 2000