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Nano-Silica Filled Polystyrene: Correlating DC Breakdown Strength and Particle Agglomeration.

Nano-Silica Filled Polystyrene: Correlating DC Breakdown Strength and Particle Agglomeration.
Nano-Silica Filled Polystyrene: Correlating DC Breakdown Strength and Particle Agglomeration.
In the field of polymer dielectrics nano-fillers have attracted a great deal of academic interest since they potentially allow significant modifications of material properties to be made. Despite the high levels of interest, no clear picture has yet emerged because results in the literature show considerable variability. Difficulties in achieving highly uniform nano-filler dispersal are perhaps the main driving force for this variability and have also hampered the adoption of nano-fillers for industrial scale applications. In this work we correlate the results from two analysis techniques in order to deepen our understanding of the action of nano-fillers in polymer dielectrics.

Nano-composites were produced with filler fractions ranging from 0 – 10 %. The filler is composed of fused silica particles with a typical size of 20 nm and the matrix material is polystyrene. Polystyrene was chosen because its amorphous matrix provides a relatively simple and uniform background on which to study the action of the nano-particles. Alternative polymers which may crystallise or exhibit lamella type structures add additional layers of complexity to the study which could obscure the effect of the nano-particles.
Firstly, we show the DC breakdown strength of the composites as a function of filler fraction. Secondly, samples undergo permanganic etching and are then imaged by a Scanning Electron Microscope. The SEM images of the etched surfaces reveal, as a function of filler fraction, the degree of agglomeration that has occurred. Combining these two data sets brings new insight to the action of the nano-filler within our model system as it allows the DC breakdown strength results to be interpreted in light of the agglomeration data.
Praeger, M.
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Vaughan, A. S.
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Swingler, S. G.
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Praeger, M.
84575f28-4530-4f89-9355-9c5b6acc6cac
Vaughan, A. S.
6d813b66-17f9-4864-9763-25a6d659d8a3
Swingler, S. G.
4f13fbb2-7d2e-480a-8687-acea6a4ed735

Praeger, M., Vaughan, A. S. and Swingler, S. G. (2013) Nano-Silica Filled Polystyrene: Correlating DC Breakdown Strength and Particle Agglomeration. UHVNet 2013, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 16 - 17 Jan 2013.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

In the field of polymer dielectrics nano-fillers have attracted a great deal of academic interest since they potentially allow significant modifications of material properties to be made. Despite the high levels of interest, no clear picture has yet emerged because results in the literature show considerable variability. Difficulties in achieving highly uniform nano-filler dispersal are perhaps the main driving force for this variability and have also hampered the adoption of nano-fillers for industrial scale applications. In this work we correlate the results from two analysis techniques in order to deepen our understanding of the action of nano-fillers in polymer dielectrics.

Nano-composites were produced with filler fractions ranging from 0 – 10 %. The filler is composed of fused silica particles with a typical size of 20 nm and the matrix material is polystyrene. Polystyrene was chosen because its amorphous matrix provides a relatively simple and uniform background on which to study the action of the nano-particles. Alternative polymers which may crystallise or exhibit lamella type structures add additional layers of complexity to the study which could obscure the effect of the nano-particles.
Firstly, we show the DC breakdown strength of the composites as a function of filler fraction. Secondly, samples undergo permanganic etching and are then imaged by a Scanning Electron Microscope. The SEM images of the etched surfaces reveal, as a function of filler fraction, the degree of agglomeration that has occurred. Combining these two data sets brings new insight to the action of the nano-filler within our model system as it allows the DC breakdown strength results to be interpreted in light of the agglomeration data.

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More information

Published date: 16 January 2013
Venue - Dates: UHVNet 2013, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 2013-01-16 - 2013-01-17
Organisations: Nanoelectronics and Nanotechnology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347581
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347581
PURE UUID: 09e15e78-cb9b-4470-b4a8-0748b569bbd4
ORCID for M. Praeger: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5814-6155
ORCID for A. S. Vaughan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0535-513X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 24 Jan 2013 16:56
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:32

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Contributors

Author: M. Praeger ORCID iD
Author: A. S. Vaughan ORCID iD
Author: S. G. Swingler

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