scholarly journals Space Charge Characteristics and Electrical Properties of Micro-Nano ZnO/LDPE Composites

Crystals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 481
Author(s):  
Jun-Guo Gao ◽  
Xia Li ◽  
Wen-Hua Yang ◽  
Xiao-Hong Zhang

The synergistic effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) Micro/Nano particles simultaneously filled in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) on the space charge characteristics and electrical properties has been investigated by melt blending micro-scale and nanoscale ZnO additive particles into LDPE matrix to prepare Micro-ZnO, Nano-ZnO, and Micro-Nano ZnO/LDPE composites. The morphological structures of composite samples are characterized by Polarizing Light Microscopy (PLM), and the space charge accumulations and insulation performances are correlated in the analyses with Pulse Electronic Acoustic (PEA), DC breakdown field strength, and conductance tests. It is indicated that both the micro and nano ZnO fillers can introduce plenty of heterogeneous nuclei into the LDPE matrix so as to impede the LDPE spherocrystal growth and regularize the crystalline grains in neatly-arranged morphology. By filling microparticles together with nanoparticles of ZnO additives, the space charge accumulations are significantly inhibited under an applied DC voltage and the minimum initial residual charges with the slowest charge decaying rate have been achieved after an electrode short connection. While the micro-nano ZnO/LDPE composites acquire the lowest conductivity, the breakdown strengths of the ZnO/LDPE nanocomposite and micro-nano composite are, respectively, 13.7% and 3.4% higher than that of the neat LDPE material.

Coatings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 932
Author(s):  
Guang Yu ◽  
Yujia Cheng

This study further investigated the synergistic effect of micro- and nanofiller doping on matrix material space charges and breakdown characteristics. Accordingly, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was used as the matrix material, and spherical ZnO particles with sizes of 30 nm and 1 µm were used as additives. Micro-ZnO/LDPE, nano-ZnO/LDPE, and micro-nano-ZnO/LDPE composites were prepared through melt blending. The crystalline morphologies of the composites were observed via polarized light microscopy. The composite crystallinity and melting peak temperature were measured via differential scanning calorimetry, and the micro- and nanoparticle dispersions in the matrix were observed via scanning electron microscopy. The test results showed that the particles were uniformly dispersed in the polyethylene matrix. The filler acted as a heterogeneous nucleation agent in the matrix. The crystal size decreased, thereby increasing the crystal quantity. The doping of inorganic ZnO particles improved the composite crystallinity. The ZnO/LDPE composites were subjected to DC breakdown, space charge, and dielectric spectrum tests. When the crystal arrangement of the sample was loose and its size was large, the breakdown process developed along a shorter path, and the field strength of the composite breakdown decreased. The order of AC and DC breakdown field strengths of the samples was as follows: micro-ZnO/LDPE < pure LDPE < micro-nano-ZnO/LDPE < nano-ZnO/LDPE. The DC and AC breakdown field strengths of the micro- and nano-ZnO/LDPE were 4.7% and 3.2% higher than those of the pure LDPE, respectively. Moreover, the DC and AC breakdown field strengths of the nano-ZnO/LDPE were 11.02% and 15.8% higher than those of the pure LDPE, respectively. The doping of inorganic ZnO particles restrained the space charge accumulation, and the residual charges decreased after short-circuit treatment. The dielectric constant of all nanocomposites was lower than that of LDPE, and the dielectric loss of all composites was higher than that of LDPE.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujia Cheng ◽  
Guang Yu ◽  
Boyang Yu ◽  
Xiaohong Zhang

Nanocomposites exhibit a high dielectric strength, whereas microcomposites exhibit a high thermal conductivity. In this study, good insulating materials were developed on the basis of the synergetic effect of micro- and nanoparticles, which were used as inorganic fillers. With a double-melting blend, nano-ZnO/low density polyethylene (LDPE), micro-ZnO/LDPE, and micro-nano-ZnO/LDPE composites were prepared, according to the scanning electron microscope test, polarization microscope test, conductivity test, breakdown test, and dielectric spectrum test, the dielectric property of micro-nano-ZnO/LDPE was explored. The SEM test results showed that by adding a suitable proportion of ZnO particles, the inorganic particles could disperse uniformly without reuniting. The PLM test results showed that the micro- and nano-ZnO particles adding decreased the crystal size. The arrangement was regular and tight. The macroscopic results showed that the mass fraction of nanoparticles and microparticles were 3% and 2%, the samples conductivity was the lowest. The breakdown field strength of the nanocomposites increased. The breakdown field strength of nanocomposites with 1%, 3%, and 5% nanoparticle contents were 5%, 15%, and 10% higher than that of pure LDPE. The addition of inorganic particles resulted in new polarization modes: Ionic displacement polarization and interfacial polarization. The ZnO/LDPE composites exhibited a higher dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor than pure LDPE. However, with the increasing frequency, it took considerable time to attain interfacial polarization in the nanocomposite and micro-nanocomposite, thus decreasing the dielectric constant.


Coatings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Yu ◽  
Yujia Cheng ◽  
Xiaohong Zhang

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) doped with inorganic nano-MMT and nano-ZnO particles improved the dielectric properties of the cable insulation layer. In this article, nano-MMT/LDPE and nano-ZnO/LDPE composites were prepared by polymer intercalation and melt blending, respectively. The octadecyl quaternary ammonium salt and silane coupling agent were applied for surface modification in nano-MMT and nano-ZnO particles, and this then improved the compatibility of nanoparticles and polymeric matrix. These samples were characterized by FTIR, PLM, DSC and TSC, from which the effect of nanoparticles doping on polymer crystal habit and interface traps would be explored. In these experiments, the AC breakdown characteristics and space charge characteristic of different composites were studied. The experimental results showed that the interface bonding of nanoparticles and polymer was improved by coupling agents modifying. The dispersion of nanoparticles in matrix was better. When the mass fraction of nanoparticles doping was 3 wt.%, the crystallization rate and crystallinity of composites increased, and the crystalline structure was more complete. Besides, the amorphous regions in material decreased and the conducting channel was circuitous. At this time, the breakdown field strength of nano-MMT/LDPE and nano-ZnO/LDPE increased by 10.3% and 11.1%, compared to that of pure LDPE, respectively. Furthermore, the density and depth of interface traps in polymer increased with nanoparticles doping. Nano-MMT and nano-ZnO could both restrain the space charge accumulation, and the inhibiting effect of nano-ZnO was more visible.


Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
YuJia Cheng ◽  
Liyang Bai ◽  
Guang Yu ◽  
Xiaohong Zhang

The melt blending was used to prepare 3 wt% ZnO/low density polyethylene (ZnO/LDPE) nanocomposites in this article. The effect of different inorganic ZnO particles doping on the dielectrical property and crystal habit of LDPE matrix was explored. The nanoparticles size was 9 nm, 30 nm, 100 nm, and 200 nm respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to characterize ZnO nanoparticles whereas differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to make thermal characterization of the samples. Besides, the AC (alternating current), DC (direct current breakdown characteristics and electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites was studied in this article. The experimental results showed that nano-ZnO/LDPE composites had the advantages such as small crystal size, high crystallization rate and crystallinity owing to nano-ZnO particles doping, when doping nano-ZnO particles size was 30 nm, the ZnO/LDPE nanocomposite crystallinity crest value 39.77% appeared. At the mean time, the DC and AC breakdown field strength values of composites were 138.0 kV/mm and 340.4 kV/mm respectively. They were the maximal values which improved 8.24% and 13.85% than LDPE. The AC breakdown field strength of samples decreased with specimen thickness increase. The DC breakdown field strength of LDPE and ZnO/LDPE composites were greater than AC breakdown field strength. From the conductivity experimental result it could be seen that when the experimental temperature and electric field intensity rose, the current density and conductivity of ZnO/LDPE composites increased with the enlargement of ZnO particles size. But the values were less than which of LDPE.


Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingze Gao ◽  
Jiaming Yang ◽  
Hong Zhao ◽  
Hui He ◽  
Ming Hu ◽  
...  

Compared with traditional insulation materials, such as cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), polypropylene (PP) is famous for its better recyclable and thermal properties, as well as its good electrical performance. However, the problem of poor impact strength has restricted the application of pure PP in high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) cables. In this paper, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) was used as a toughening filler, and nano-SiO2 was expected to improve the electric properties of the nano-composite. By controlling the masterbatch system, the dispersion characteristics of nano-SiO2 in the ternary composite system were changed. When PP/SiO2 was used as the masterbatch and then blended with SEBS, nano-SiO2 tended to disperse in the PP phase, and the number of nano-particles in the SEBS phase was lower. When PP/SEBS was used as the masterbatch, nano-SiO2 was distributed in both the PP phase and the SEBS phase. When SEBS/SiO2 was used as the masterbatch, nano-SiO2 tended to be dispersed in the SEBS phase. The different dispersion characteristics of nano-SiO2 changed the crystallization and mechanical properties of the ternary composite system and produced different electrical performance improvement effects. The results of our experiment revealed that the space charge suppression capability was positively correlated with the direct current (DC) breakdown strength improvement effect. Compared with the DC performance of 500 kV commercial XLPE materials, the self-made PP-based ternary composite system has better space charge suppression effects and higher DC breakdown strength. When nano-SiO2 was more dispersed in the PP phase, the space charge improvement effect was best. When the nano-SiO2 particles were more dispersed in the SEBS phase, the expected electrical property improvement was not obtained. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the nano-SiO2 particles in the SEBS phase were more dispersed at the interface than in the SEBS matrix, indicating that the nano-particles were poorly dispersed, which may be a reason why the electrical properties of the composite system were not significantly improved.


Author(s):  
Chandrasekhara Sastry Chebiyyam ◽  
Pradeep N ◽  
Shaik AM ◽  
Hafeezur Rahman A ◽  
Sandeep Patil

Abstract Nano composite coatings on HSLA ASTM A860 alloy, adds to the barrier efficacy by increase in the microhardness, wear and corrosion resistance of the substrate material. Additionally, reduction of delamination of the nano composite coating sample is ascertained. Ball milling is availed to curtail the coating samples (Al2O3/ZrO2) to nano size, for forming a electrodeposited product on the substrate layer. The curtailment in grain size was ascertained to be 17.62% in Ni-Al2O3/ZrO2 nano composite coating. During the deposition process, due to the presence of Al2O3/ZrO2 nano particles an increase in cathode efficiency is ascertained. An XRD analysis of the nano composite coating indicates a curtailment in grain size along with increase in the nucleation sites causing a surge in the growth of nano coating layer. In correlation to uncoated HSLA ASTM A36 alloy sample, a surge in compressive residual stress by 47.14%, reduction of waviness by 32.14% (AFM analysis), upsurge in microhardness by 67.77% is ascertained in Ni-Al2O3/ZrO2 nano composite coating. Furthermore, in nano coated Ni-Al2O3/ZrO2 composite a reduction is observed pertaining to weight loss and friction coefficients by 27.44% and 13% in correlation to plain uncoated alloy respectively. A morphology analysis after nano coating indicates, Ni-Al2O3/ZrO2 particles occupy the areas of micro holes, reducing the wide gaps and crevice points inside the matrix of the substrate, enacting as a physical barrier to upsurge the corrosion resistance by 67.72% in correlation to HSLA ASTM A860 base alloy.


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