A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites

A brand new phenomenon, namely, electrical conduction via soliton-like ultra fast space charge pulses, recently identified in unfilled cross-linked polyethylene, is shown for the first time to occur in insulating polymer nanocomposites and its characteristics correlated with the electromechanical pr...

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Main Authors: M. Xu, G. C. Montanari, D. Fabiani, L. A. Dissado, A. Krivda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Journal of Nanotechnology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/985801
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author M. Xu
G. C. Montanari
D. Fabiani
L. A. Dissado
A. Krivda
author_facet M. Xu
G. C. Montanari
D. Fabiani
L. A. Dissado
A. Krivda
author_sort M. Xu
collection DOAJ
description A brand new phenomenon, namely, electrical conduction via soliton-like ultra fast space charge pulses, recently identified in unfilled cross-linked polyethylene, is shown for the first time to occur in insulating polymer nanocomposites and its characteristics correlated with the electromechanical properties of nanostructured materials. These charge pulses are observed to cross the insulation under low electrical field in epoxy-based nanocomposites containing nanosilica particles with relative weights of 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20% at speeds orders of magnitude higher than those expected for carriers in insulating polymers. The characteristics of mobility, magnitude and repetition rate for both positive and negative charge pulses are studied in relation to nanofiller concentration. The results show that the ultra fast charge pulses (packets) are affected significantly by the concentration of nanoparticles. An explanation is presented in terms of a new conduction mechanism where the mechanical properties of the polymer and movement of polymer chains play an important role in the injection and transport of charge in the form of pulses. Here, the charge transport is not controlled by traps. Instead, it is driven by the contribution of polarization and the resultant electromechanical compression, which is substantially affected by the introduction of nanoparticles into the base polymer.
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spelling doaj-art-60d8e4f2037d4f8ba76cc34396226e862025-08-20T02:35:19ZengWileyJournal of Nanotechnology1687-95031687-95112011-01-01201110.1155/2011/985801985801A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer NanocompositesM. Xu0G. C. Montanari1D. Fabiani2L. A. Dissado3A. Krivda4State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Xianning Road 28, Xi'an 710049, ChinaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2-40136, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2-40136, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Engineering, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE17RH, UKABB Switzerland Ltd, Corporate Research, CH-5405 Baden-Daettwil, SwitzerlandA brand new phenomenon, namely, electrical conduction via soliton-like ultra fast space charge pulses, recently identified in unfilled cross-linked polyethylene, is shown for the first time to occur in insulating polymer nanocomposites and its characteristics correlated with the electromechanical properties of nanostructured materials. These charge pulses are observed to cross the insulation under low electrical field in epoxy-based nanocomposites containing nanosilica particles with relative weights of 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20% at speeds orders of magnitude higher than those expected for carriers in insulating polymers. The characteristics of mobility, magnitude and repetition rate for both positive and negative charge pulses are studied in relation to nanofiller concentration. The results show that the ultra fast charge pulses (packets) are affected significantly by the concentration of nanoparticles. An explanation is presented in terms of a new conduction mechanism where the mechanical properties of the polymer and movement of polymer chains play an important role in the injection and transport of charge in the form of pulses. Here, the charge transport is not controlled by traps. Instead, it is driven by the contribution of polarization and the resultant electromechanical compression, which is substantially affected by the introduction of nanoparticles into the base polymer.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/985801
spellingShingle M. Xu
G. C. Montanari
D. Fabiani
L. A. Dissado
A. Krivda
A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
Journal of Nanotechnology
title A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
title_full A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
title_fullStr A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
title_full_unstemmed A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
title_short A New Ultra Fast Conduction Mechanism in Insulating Polymer Nanocomposites
title_sort new ultra fast conduction mechanism in insulating polymer nanocomposites
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/985801
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