Dielectric properties of Polyethylene/MgO nanocomposites fabricated using ball-milling

Abstract

The case involving Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE) containing nano-MgO is revisited here with the main aim of verifying the effect of the fabrication technique. LDPE powder and MgO unfunctionalized nanoparticles were used in conjunction with an impact ball-milling method. Samples consisting of neat LDPE and nanocomposites containing 1 and 5 wt% of MgO were prepared. Several material and dielectric properties were investigated. The polymer samples prepared were found to exhibit a much invariant value of the degree of crystallinity, around 41%. From the erosion experiment, the conclusion can be drawn that the surface resistance to erosion caused by discharges grows with the content of nanofillers increasing.