Electrical properties of polymers

The interest in studying electrical conduction and polarization phenomena in polymers has increased since last year. Besides the classical problems of conduction, polarization and breakdown in polymeric insulators, interesting for the electric and electronic industry, new aspects are being considered by more and more research groups in the field. One of these is the application of the dielectric method, especially the depolarization technique, for studying molecular mobilities, i.e., multiple phase transitions in polymeric systems. Combined with mechanical relaxation, thermal analysis, magnetic resonance and with some additional techniques dielectric spectroscopy is becoming a powerful tool for studying the phase-structure of such complex polymer systems as blends, filled, and reinforced materials. This way the dielectric technique is helpful in quality control even of such systems which are not used in the electrical or electronic industry.