Dielectric Composites

The Science behind the research

The design and manufacture of nanofilled polymers for dielectric applications has been recently pursued towards the production of electrical insulating coatings with high capacity for thermal dissipation.

Ongoing research

At the Institute of Materials Discovery, in collaboration with the University of Manchester, we are striving to design nanofilled polymer coatings that can endure high stress voltages for extended periods of time. The current research focus is to precisely control their structure and composition through their polymer matrix and the filler particles.

We have managed to improve the time to breakdown and to slow down growth of electrical trees inside polymer coatings exposed to high stress voltages through careful control of structure and composition using novel non-vacuum processing method.

Current research is focused on controlling electrical breakdown phenomena at the polymer interface inducing slower electrical trees formation, lateral expansion of the trees and breakdown around the coatings rather than through them, with the utlimate aim of improving the resistance to high voltage stress breakdown.
 

Fig 1.Cross-section SEM of epoxy based nanocomposite for high voltage DC stress resistance.

Fig 2. Expansion of electrical tree inside bulk epoxy around interface with our controlled coated sample when exposed to high stress DC voltage