The Impact of the Inclusion of MgO Nano-Fillers in a Polyethylene Matrix on Dielectric Strength and Resistance to Partial Discharges

One commonly used strategy to enhance polymers specific properties such as the resistance to partial discharges erosion is the incorporation into the polymeric matrix of inorganic micro or nanoparticles. This study focused on the dielectric properties of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) filled with nano-sized Magnesium Oxide (MgO) particles compounded by thermo-mechanical process and one of the purposes was to establish appropriate processing parameters in order to reach the desired dielectric properties. LDPE was used as a matrix and was reinforced by MgO particles having a nominal average size of 30 nm. The MgO nanoparticles were treated with a silane coupling agent (3-Glycidyloxypropyl Trimethoxysilane). The samples were initially prepared in a melt-mixing chamber with a MgO content of 1% wt. These pre-mixed samples were further treated by the means of thermo-mechanical mixing in a conical co-rotating twin-screw extruder in order to improve the dispersion and distribution of the MgO particles. In this report, both lifetime under a PD activity and AC dielectric strength of pure and nano-filled LDPE samples have been measured and compared. Nano-filled LDPE samples were found to exhibit an improve lifetime, without any detrimental impact on their short-term dielectric strength. This suggests that nano-filled LDPE may be for electric applications for which the dielectric materials may be exposed to partial discharge activities. This is significant result for the use of MgO-reinforced PE as an insulating material for HV cables since the resistance to PD is closely related to treeing resistance which is the main electrical degradation mechanism that leads to failure for shielded extruded power cables.

Predicting the Dielectric Strength of c-C_4F_8 and SF_6 Gas Mixtures by Monte Carlo Method

An improved Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the motion of electrons in c-C4F8 and SF6 gas mixtures for pulsed townsend discharge. The electron swarm parameters such as effective ionization coefficient, -↑α and drift velocity over the E/N range from 280～700 Td（1Td=10^-21 V·m^2） were calculated by employing a set of cross sections available in literature. From the variation cure of -↑α with SF6 partial pressure p, the limiting field （E/N）lim of gas mixture at different gas content was determined. It is found that the limiting field of c-C4F8 and SF6 gas mixture is higher than that of pure SF6 at any SF6 mixture ratio. Simulation results show excellent agreement with experiment data available in previous literature.

Effect of hydrogen content on dielectric strength of the silicon nitride film deposited by ICP-CVD

The inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition(ICP-CVD) deposited silicon nitride(SiN_(x)) thin film was evaluated for its application as the electrical insulating film for a capacitor device.In order to achieve highest possible dielectric strength of SiN_(x),the process parameters of ICP-CVD were carefully tuned to control hydrogen in SiN_(x) films by means of tuning N_(2)/SiH_(4) ratio and radio frequency(RF) power.Besides electrical measurements,the hydrogen content in the films was measured by dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry(D-SIMS).Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and micro Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the SiN_(x) films by measuring Si-H and N-H bonds’ intensities.It was found that the more Si-H bonds lead to the higher dielectric strength.

Weibull Statistics in Dielectric Strength of Oil-impregnated Pressboard under Ramped AC and DC Voltages

AC and DC breakdown tests were performed on large populations of oil-impregnated pressboard samples. The effect of voltage ramp rate on dielectric strength has been investigated. A statistical analysis of breakdown data was carried out using the Weibull distribution. The 90% confidence intervals of Weibull graphs were calculated. The study shows that dielectric strength and shape parameter change versus ramp rate. The variations are attributed to the size and number of defects. Discharges occur from the oil to the oil-pressboard interface and lead to breakdown. DC dielectric strength is larger than that corresponding to AC voltage. This is ascribed to the dissipated energy difference under the two types of field and the fatigue produced by the alternating voltage. This phenomenon is related to space charge. Under DC stress, dielectric strength is higher under negative polarity. It is assigned to the different quantities of space charge accumulated under the two polarities.

Assessment of dielectric strength and partial discharges patterns in nanocomposites insulation of single-core power cables

Nanoparticles succeeded to enhance the dielectric properties of industrial insulation but the presence of voids inside the power cable insulation still leads to formation high electrical stress inside power cable insulation material and collapse.In this paper,the dielectric strength of new design nanocomposites has been deduced as experimental work done to clarify the benefit of filling nanoparticles with different patterns inside dielectrics.Also,it has been studied the effect of electrical stress distribution in presence of air,water and copper impurities with different shapes(cylinder,sphere and ellipse)inside insulation of single core.In simulation model,it has been used finite element method(FEM)for estimating the electrostatic field distribution in power cable insulation.It has been applied new strategies of nanotechnology techniques for designing innovative polyvinyl chloride insula-tion materials by using nanocomposites and multi-nanocomposites.Finally,this research succeeded to remedy different partial discharges(PD)patterns according to using certain types and concentrations of nanoparticles.

Doping Effects of Rare Earth on Dielectric Properties of Fine-Grained BaTiO_3-Based Ceramics

The doping effects of rare earth oxides Ho_2O_3 and Er_2O_3 on dielectric properties of BaTiO_3-based ceramics were studied. After adding rare earth elements, grain growth in this system was inhibited and the grain size was reduced evidently which realized the fine-grained effect. In this system, the trivalent oxides Ho_2O_3 and Er_2O_3 were added to BaTiO_3 ceramics. The rare earth oxides do not enter into inner lattice totally to replace A or B sites. Some of additives can improve dielectric strength by forming nonferroelectric phases, and the rest maintained at grain boundaries controls overgrowth of grains. The dielectric constant at room temperature is increased up to 3000 and the curve of TCC becomes flat. Meanwhile, the dielectric strength E_b becomes higher.

The rate dependence of the dielectric strength of dielectric elastomers

Elastomers are widely used in electronics and electrical devices,either as insulators or transducers.The insulation and actuation performance of elastomers are highly suscepti-ble to their dielectric strength.Among the factors that influ-encethedielectricstrength ofelastomers,material viscoelasticity is an important factor that needs further inves-tigation.Since the material viscoelasticity is often character-ized by rate-dependent behaviors,we present two different sample configurations to experimentally examine the electrical and mechanical rate dependence of the dielectric strength of VHB 4905 elastomers.At pre-stretch ratio of 4,the improve-ment of the dielectric strength is about 30%from voltage ramp of 50 V/s to 800 V/s.Particularly,with an in-house biaxial test platform,the effect of the stretching rate on the dielectric strength is examined for the first time.The improvement of the dielectric strength is about 35%from stretching rate of 0.1 mm/s to 5 mm/s.Moreover,a dielectric strength predictor based on configurational stress is adopted to describe the experimental data.According to the predictor,the loading rate affects the dielectric strength of the elastomer mainly by influencing the evolution of the inelastic deformation.

Improved Breakdown Strength in(Ba_(0.6)Sr_(0.4))_(0.85)Bi_(0.1)TiO_3 Ceramics with Addition of CaZrO_3 for Energy Storage Application

（Ba（0.6） Sr（0.4））（0.85） Bi（0.1） TiO3 ceramics doped with x wt%CaZrO3（x= 0-10） were synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The effects of CaZrO3 amount on the dielectric properties and structure of（Ba（0.6）Sr（0.4））（0.85） Bi（0.1） TiO3 ceramics were investigated. X-ray diffraction results indicated a pure cubic perovskite structure for all samples and that the lattice parameter increased till x=5 and then slightly decreased. A homogenous microstructure was observed with the addition of CaZrO3. Dielectric measurements revealed a relaxor-like characteristic for all samples and that the diffusivity γ reached the maximum value of 1.78 at x=5. With the addition of CaZrO3, the dielectric constant dependence on electric field was weakened, insulation resistivity enhanced and dielectric breakdown strength improved obviously and reached 19.9 k V/mm at x=7.5. In virtue of low dielectric loss（tan d〈0.001 5）, moderate dielectric constant（er 〉1 500） and high breakdown strength（Eb 〉17.5 k V/mm）, the CaZrO3 doped（Ba（0.6）Sr（0.4））0.85 Bi（0.1） TiO3 ceramic is a potential candidate material for high power electric applications.

Influence of the gassing materials on the dielectric properties of air

Influence of the gassing materials, such as PA6, PMMA, and POM on the dielectric properties of air are investigated. In this work, the fundamental electron collision cross section data were carefully selected and validated. Then the species compositions of the air–organic vapor mixtures were calculated based on the Gibbs free energy minimization. Finally, the Townsend ionization coefficient, the Townsend electron attachment coefficient and the critical reduced electric field strength were derived from the calculated electron energy distribution function by solving the Boltzmann transport equation. The calculation results indicated that H;O with large attachment cross sections has a great impact on the critical reduced electric field strength of the air–organic vapor mixtures. On the other hand, the vaporization of gassing materials can help to increase the dielectric properties of air circuit breakers to some degree.

CuCr25 W1 Ni2 contact material of vacuum interrupter

CuCr25W1Ni2 alloy was prepared by means of vacuum induction melting (VIM). A series of Cu/Cr alloys with different compositions (mass fraction, 25%～75%) and Cr grain sizes (up to 150 μm) were investigated for their differences in physical properties and breakdown voltage. The influence of alloy elements and microstructure on the performance of CuCr25W1Ni2 alloy was also discussed. Experimental results show that the chromium phase is strengthened and its size is minimized by the addition of tungsten powder. After electrical breakdown, very fine tungsten particles in the melt layer form the external nuclei in the solidification process. The microstructure of surface melt layer of CuCr25W1Ni2 alloy is much flatter. It can notably improve the dielectric strength. On the other hand, the nickel can enhance the mutual solubility of copper and chromium, and the whole alloy is strengthened. [

Multichannel Discharge Characteristics of Gas Switch Gap in SF_6-N_2 or SF_6-Ar Gas Mixtures Under Nanosecond Triggering Pulses

Experiments were carried out to ascertain multichannel discharge characteristics in a self-designed coaxial field-distortion gas switch filled with SFa-N2 or SF6-Ar gas mixtures of different mixing ratios. In these experiments, the pressure varied from 0.1 MPa to 0.2 MPa, the voltage pulse peak applied to the switch was in the range from 40 kV to 78 kV, and the pulse rise time was 11 ns. The static breakdown strength of the gas switch gap in the switch was also measured. The results show that in general the average number of discharge channels for SF6-Ar or SF6-N2 gas mixture which contains less SFa is larger than that for gas mixture which contains more SF6, however, the average number of channels almost keeps constant as the gas mixing ratio varies when the pulse rise rate is high enough. The static breakdown strength of the gas switch gap decreases slightly as the content of argon or nitrogen increases.

Transitional Recovery Voltages at Capacitive Currents Switching-off by Vacuum and SF6 Circuit-Breakers

Results of calculation the recovery voltages conditioned by capacitive currents switching-off by high voltage vacuum and auto-compression （SF6） circuit-breakers are presented in the article. The purpose of research was evaluating the maximum values of recovery voltages and also studying the dependence of recovery voltages on some influencing factors, especially on type of circuit-breaker presented in numerical models with its dielectric strength restoration law, chopping current and operation time. The research was carried out with using computer simulation.

Failure Analysis of Ceramic Substrates Used in High Power IGBT Modules

High voltage power modules are used in numerous applications to build high power converters. Technically, these modules are made of different materials and among them, dielectric materials are organic and inorganic. Organic insulators (gels) are used to avoid corona discharges in the vicinity of connecting wires and high voltage dies (diodes and transistors) and to protect them from moisture and contaminants. Inorganic insulators (ceramic substrates) are used to insulate the high voltage which dies from the grounded elements and to transfer heat to the heat sink. Despite being used since the late 90s, there is a lack of fundamental knowledge about the electrical properties of these substrates. Consequently, manufacturers tend to assure the reliability by over sizing them. As there are no clear rules for how to do that, failures occur, leading to the converter shutdown. The aim of this study is to bring new information about the understanding of the dielectric strength of ceramic materials used in these modules. We have focused our work on the correlation between the mechanical and the dielectric properties of ceramics by using relevant experiments. We provide new information about the impact of existing cracks on the ceramic dielectric failure, according to the electromechanical breakdown model. Our conclusions bring crucial information about the precautions to be taken during manufacturing and implementation of these substrates in power modules to reduce the likelihood of the particular causes of failure.

Effects of annealing and firing in wet hydrogen on the dielectric breakdown strengths of alumina ceramics

Annealing and firing in wet hydrogen are widely used steps in the processing alumina.ceramic insulators that may affect their dielectric breakdown strengths(DBS).In this study,the effects of annealing(at 1300℃for 7 h)and firing in wet hydrogen on the DBS of alumina ceramics(all sintered at 1650℃)were studied,and the underlying mechanisms were analyzed by material characterizations.Annealing reduced the DBS of the 95%alumina ceramics due to the inter-granular phase crystallization,and the reduction in the DBS could be correlated to the reduction in mechanical strength.In contrast,annealing improved the DBS of the 99%alumina ceramic without intergranular phase transformation.Firing in wet hydrogen at 1500℃caused the DBS increment,which can be ascribed to the reduction in the concentrations of point defects and electrical carriers.

Theoretical Studies on Dielectric Breakdown Strength Increasing Mechanism of SF6 and Its Potential Alternative Gases

A theoretical investigation on the dielectric insulation mechanism of sulfur hexafluoride（SF6） and its potential alternative gases at the atomic and molecular levels was made. The electronic structures of the molecules of them were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31 11＋G（d,p） level. The HOMO-LUMO energy gaps, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and dipole moments of the studied molecules at the ground state were obtained. The 11 isomerization reactions, with the harmonic vibration frequencies of the equilibrium geometries and the minimum energy path by the intrinsic reaction coordinate theory, were also obtained at the same level. The results show that the insulation gas, with the larger HOMO-LUMO energy gap, the higher ionization potential and the stronger electron affinity, can increase the dielectric breakdown strength efficiently, which is in good agreement with the available experimental finding. We suggested that the molecule with isomerization reaction occurring can dissipate the energy of hot electrons availably, which is favorable to the dielectric breakdown strength increasing for the SF6 potential alternative gas.

Electrical breakdown of an acrylic dielectric elastomer: effects of hemispherical probing electrode’s size and force

Dielectric elastomers are widely investigated as soft electromechanically active polymers(EAPs)for actuators,stretch/force sensors,and mechanical energy harvesters to generate electricity.Although the performance of such devices is limited by the dielectric strength of the constitutive material,the electrical breakdown of soft elastomers for electromechanical transduction is still scarcely studied.Here,we describe a custom-made setup to measure electrical breakdown of soft EAPs,and we present data for a widely studied acrylic elastomer(VHB 4905 from 3M).The elastomer was electrically stimulated via a planar and a hemispherical metal electrode.The breakdown was characterized under different conditions to investigate the effects of the radius of curvature and applied force of the hemispherical electrode.With a given radius of curvature,the breakdown field increased by about 50% for a nearly 10-fold increase of the applied mechanical stress,while with a given mechanical stress the breakdown field increased by about 20% for an approximately two fold increase of the radius of curvature.These results indicate that the breakdown field is highly dependent on the boundary conditions,suggesting the need for reporting breakdown data always in close association with the measurement conditions.These findings might help future investigations in elucidating the ultimate breakdown mechanism/s of soft elastomers.

Temperature dependence of dielectric breakdown of silicone-based dielectric elastomers

A large number of insulation/dielectric failures in power systems are related to thermally-induced dielectrical breakdown,also known as‘thermal breakdown’,at higher operating temperatures.In this work,the thermal breakdown behavior of typical silicone formulations,used as dielectrics in stretchable electronic devices,is analyzed at practically relevant operating temperatures ranging from 20℃ to 80℃.An effective way of delaying the thermal breakdown of insulating materials is to blend micro-or nano-sized inorganic particles with high thermal conductivity,to dissipate better any losses generated during energy transduction.Therefore,two types of commercial silicone formulations,blended with two types of rutile hydrophobic,high-dielectric TiO_(2) fillers,are investigated in relation to their dielectric properties,namely,relative permittivity,the dissipation factor,and electrical breakdown strength.The breakdown strengths of these silicone composites are subsequently evaluated using Weibull analysis,which indicates a negative correlation between temperature and shape parameter for all compositions,thus illustrating that the homogeneity of the samples decreases in line with temperature,but the breakdown strengths nevertheless increase initially due to the trapping effect from the high-permittivity fillers.

Dielectric phenomena and electrical energy storage of poly(vinylidene fluoride) based high-k polymers

Polymeric dielectrics have wide range of applications in the field of electrical energy storage because of their light weight and easy processing. However, the state-of-the-art polymer dielectrics, such as biaxially orientated polypropylene, could not meet the demand of minimization of electronic devices because of its low energy density. Recently, poly（vinylidene fluoride） （PVDF） based ferroelectric polymers have attracted considerable interests for energy storage applications because of their high permittivity and high breakdown strength. Unfortunately, the high dielectric loss and/or high remnant polarization of PVDF-based polymers seriously limits their practical applications for electrical energy storage. Since the discovery of relaxor ferroelectric behavior was firstly reported in irradiated poly（vinylidene fluoride- trifluoroethylene） （P（VDF-TrFE）） copolyrner, many strategies have been developed to enhanced the electrical energy storage capability, including copolymerization, grafting, blending and fabricating of multilayer How these methods affect the polymorphs, crystallinity, crystal size of PVDF-based polymers and the connection between these microstructures and their corresponding energy storage properties are discussed in detail.

Measurement of Swarm Parameters of c-C_4F_8/CO_2 and Its Insulation Characteristics Analysis

In c-C4F8 and c-C4F8/CO2 mixtures, the swarm parameters including ionization coefficient, attachment coefficient and effective ionization coefficient were obtained at the ratio of the electric field strength to the gas density between 150-550 Td by the steady-state Townsend （SST） method. Static breakdown voltages at each ratio were also measured at the SST condition. The limiting field strengths were obtained by two methods： computing the density-normalized effective ionization coefficient as a function of the overall density-reduced electric field strength; and measuring static breakdown voltages as a function of the product of gas density and electrode separation. Good agreement was obtained by these two methods, which ensures the correctness of the former method. The limiting field strengths of c-C4F8 and c-C4F8/CO2 mixtures were compared with those of pure SF6, 8F6/602 mixtures and pure c-C4F8. It is found that buffer gas CO2 does not reduce the limiting field strengths of c-C4F8 greatly, the limiting field strengths of c-C4F8/CO2 mixtures are higher than those of SF6/CO2 mixtures or even pure SF6, and so c-C4F8/CO2 mixtures are suggested to be possible substitutes for SF6.

Modification of physical properties of Ba(Ni_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))O_(3) ceramics through ordered domain engineering

Ordered domain engineering has been further developed for modifying and improving physical prop-erties in complex perovskite ceramics. In the present work, Ba(Ni_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))O_(3) ceramic is taken as a typicalexample for ordered domain engineering, in which the sintering temperature lies above the order-disorder transition temperature. Though the well-ordered structure could not be obtained in as-sintered samples, high ordering degree could be achieved together with preferred ordered domainstructures in Ba(Ni_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))O_(3) ceramics through long-time annealing, and subsequently the physicalproperties such as electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, dielectric strength and energy storagedensity are significantly enhanced, where the ordering degree, ordered domain structure and ordereddomain boundary play the critical rules. The present work provides an effective approach for developingcomplex perovskite dielectric ceramics with superior physical properties.