The effect of non-isothermal crystallization on the AC breakdown performance of polyethylene/silicon dioxide nanocomposites

Abstract

Increasing demands in high voltage applications result in the need to design new electrical insulation systems. For this reason, polymer nanocomposites have recently been actively studied. In the dielectrics community, polymer nanocomposites refer to polymer matrices incorporating nanometer-sized fillers as a means for enhancing the dielectric properties. These materials were found to have a great capability in withstanding high voltage levels such as those required in high voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high voltage direct current (HVDC) applications. This paper reports on an investigation into polyethylene systems that contains different amounts of nanosilica with different non-isothermal crystallization processes. The non-isothermal crystallization techniques were determined by fast, medium and slow cooling rate conditions while preparing the samples. The thermal behavior of the polymer nanocomposites was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. The breakdown results showed that the use of different non-isothermal crystallization techniques affected the breakdown strength of the same material type.