skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Study of EPR-based nanodielectrics under operational conditions for DC cable insulation
A model DC material based on ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) including the pure EPR and the EPR-based nanodielectrics incorporated with two different nanoclays, Kaoline and Talc, under operational conditions was investigated. The operational conditions include a 20 kV/mm electric field at 25 °C, a 20 kV/mm electric field at 50 °C with a thermal gradient, and a 40 kV/mm electric field at 50 °C with a thermal gradient and polarity reversal. Space charge distribution, surface potential, and electrical conductivity were measured to characterize the model DC material and interpret the discrete charge dynamics in the bulk and at the interface of the three samples. The experimental results revealed that the electrical conductivity of Talc-filled nanodielectric has the least dependency on electric field and temperature, which reduces the conductivity gradient across the dielectric. Moreover, the successful suppression of space charge and the lower dielectric time constant in the Talc-filled nanodielectric result in a tuning electric field in the bulk not only under normal operating conditions but also more importantly under polarity reversal conditions. The maximum of absolute charge density decreases from 10.6 C/m 3 for EPR to 2.9 C/m 3 for the Talc-filled nanodielectric under 40 kV/mm with polarity reversal and at 50 °C with the thermal gradient. The maximum of local electric field enhancement for the mentioned condition reduces significantly from 97 kV/mm, 142% enhancement, for EPR to 45 kV/mm, only 12.5% enhancement, for the Talc-filled nanodielectric.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1650544
PAR ID:
10401945
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Volume:
132
Issue:
8
ISSN:
0021-8979
Page Range / eLocation ID:
084101
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Polymer dielectrics have been widely used in electrical and electronic systems for capacitive energy storage and electrical insulation. However, emerging applications such as electric vehicles and hybrid electric aircraft demand improved polymer dielectrics for operation not only under high electric fields and high temperatures, but also extreme conditions, for example, low pressures at high altitudes, with largely increased likelihood of electrical partial discharges. To meet these stringent requirements of grand electrifications for payload efficiency, polymers with enhanced discharge resistance are highly desired. Here, we present a surface-engineering approach for Kapton® coated with self-assembled two-dimensional montmorillonite nanosheets. By suppressing the magnitude of the high-field partial discharges, this nanocoating endows polymers with improved discharge resistance, with satisfactory discharge endurance life of 200 hours at a high electric field of 46 kV mm −1 while maintaining the surface morphology of the polymer. Moreover, the MMT nanocoating can also improve the thermal stability of Kapton®, with significantly suppressed temperature coefficients for both the dielectric constant and dielectric loss over a wide temperature range from 25 to 205 °C. This work provides a practical method of surface nanocoating to explore high-discharge-resistant polymers for harsh condition electrification. 
    more » « less
  2. Most research involving resistive field grading materials or nonlinear field-dependent conductivity (FDC) layers has predominantly concentrated on DC or sinusoidal AC voltages, even though (U)WBG power electronic modules typically operate under high-frequency square wave voltages. To bridge this existing research gap, the present study systematically investigates the efficacy of an FDC coating in alleviating electric field stress when subjected to high-frequency, high-slew-rate square wave voltages. The findings indicate that applying a nonlinear FDC layer significantly reduces electric field stress, even under stringent conditions involving elevated operating frequencies. Furthermore, the influence of the square wave voltage type—the distinction between unipolar and bipolar square waveforms—on electric field stress remains inadequately understood despite substantial progress in breakdown and PD experiments related to these phenomena. Consequently, this study undertakes a comparative analysis of nonlinear FDC layers' performance under unipolar (+27.5 kV) and bipolar (±27.5 kV) square wave voltages. In doing so, this investigation contributes valuable insights into the interplay between high-frequency operation, the polarity of square waveforms, and the efficacy of nonlinear FDC layers in mitigating electric field stress within (U)WBG power module packages. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract The electric field distribution in the ionization waves propagating over a microchannel array dielectric surface, with the channels either empty or filled with distilled water, is measured by ps Electric Field Induced Second Harmonic (EFISH) generation. The surface ionization wave is initiated by the atmospheric pressure N2-Ar plasma jet impinging on the surface vertically and powered by ns pulse discharge bursts. The results show that the electric field inside the microchannels, specifically its horizontal component, is enhanced by up to a factor of 2. The field enhancement region is localized within the channels. The vertical electric field inside the channels lags in time compared to the field measured at the ridges, indicating the transient reversal of the ionization wave propagation direction across the channels (toward the jet). This is consistent with the phase-locked plasma emission images and confirmed by the kinetic modeling predictions, which show that the ionization wave “jumps” over the empty channels and propagates into the channels only after the jump between the adjacent ridges. When the channels are filled with water, the wave speed increases by up to 50%, due to the higher effective dielectric constant of the surface. No evidence of a significant electric field enhancement near the dielectric surface (ceramic or water) has been detected, within the spatial resolution of the present diagnostic, ~100 μm. 
    more » « less
  4. The escalating adoption of wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices in power electronics has led to the generation of high-frequency, high-slew-rate voltage waveforms, which exert significant stress on encapsulating materials such as silicone gel (SG). This study systematically investigates the breakdown performance of SG under DC,60 HzAC, and highfrequency square wave excitations. Breakdown voltage assessments were performed across a frequency range of 10 to 50 kHz for square pulses with 100 ns rise time, revealing a pronounced decline in dielectric strength as frequency increased. Specifically, the breakdown voltage measured under DC conditions, which was 20.6 kV, diminished by 84.9 % when subjected to a square wave excitation at 50 kHz. Furthermore, electric field simulations elucidated the phenomenon of localized field intensification occurring near the needle tip, which corresponded with the identified breakdown locations. The key revelations from this research underscore the limitations inherent in conventional testing methodologies, which fail to adequately characterize the degradation behavior of SG under realistic high-frequency fast-rise square voltage stress conditions. 
    more » « less
  5. The future of packaging for power modules hinges on the advancement of (U)WBG) materials like SiC, AlN, and diamond. However, pushing these boundaries faces significant challenges in insulation systems, which must withstand the demanding parameters involved. The repercussions include high electric fields, space charge accumulation, electrical treeing, and partial discharge (PD), all of which can lead to power module failure. This paper delves into reviewing these challenges within insulation materials of (U)WBG power modules and recent research aimed at mitigating electric field stress at triple points (TPs) and addressing PD issues. Beginning with the issue of high electric fields at TPs, the paper explores space charge, electrical treeing, and PD problems within encapsulation materials under practical operating conditions, such as high frequency, and high temperatures. Various strategies to tackle these insulation challenges are thoroughly discussed. While three prevalent mitigation strategies can address electric field issues at TPs, their validation under high-temperature conditions of (U)WBG power modules remains relatively unexplored, suggesting a potential shift towards alternative encapsulation materials. It is observed that the high-temperature dielectric liquids emerge as a promising solution to address thermal stresses for temperatures up to 350 °C with their stable dielectric properties and breakdown strength under repeated tests. Overall, this review provides a valuable framework by outlining the limitations of current mitigation strategies and offering recommendations for future research endeavors, with a particular emphasis on alternative encapsulants. 
    more » « less