Effect of copolymerization on electrical and water trees of polyethylene

Abstract

Electrical- and water-treeing breakdown phenomena were investigated on polyethylene copolymerized with various monomers. The resistance to electrical treeing in copolymerized specimens was evaluated according to the tree-inception voltages. The AC-tree-inception voltage decreased with increase in halogen atom content in the monomers. The resistance to water treeing in copolymerized specimens was evaluated according to the growth of water trees that arose from the tip of a needle-like water electrode. The growth of water treeing decreased with increase in halogen atom content in the monomers. Halogen atoms which were copolymerized in polyethylene improved the AC-electric-tree resistance and the water-tree resistance.<>