Abstract:The present review article represents a comprehensive study on polymer micro/nanocomposites that are used in high-voltage applications. Particular focus is on the structure-property relationship of composite materials used in power engineering, by exploiting fundamental theory as well as numerical/analytical models and the influence of material design on electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. In addition to describing the scientific development of micro/nanocomposites electrical features desired in power engineering, the study is mainly focused on the electrical properties of insulating materials, particularly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and epoxy resins, unfilled and filled with different types of filler. Polymer micro/nanocomposites based on XLPE and epoxy resins are usually used as insulating systems for high-voltage applications, such as: cables, generators, motors, cast resin dry-type transformers, etc. Furthermore, this paper includes ample discussions regarding the advantages and disadvantages resulting in the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties by the addition of micro-and nanofillers into the base polymer. The study goals are to determine the impact of filler size, type and distribution of the particles into the polymer matrix on the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer micro/nanocomposites compared to the neat polymer and traditionally materials used as insulation systems in high-voltage engineering. Properties such as electrical conductivity, relative permittivity, dielectric losses, partial discharges, erosion resistance, space charge behavior, electric breakdown, tracking and electrical tree resistance, thermal conductivity, tensile strength and modulus, elongation at break of micro-and nanocomposites based on epoxy resin and XLPE are analyzed. Finally, it was concluded that the use of polymer micro/nanocomposites in electrical engineering is very promising and further research work must be accomplished in order to diversify the polymer composites matrices and to improve their properties.

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This review represents a comprehensive study of nanocomposites for power cables insulations based on thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene congeners like LDPE, HDPE and XLPE, which is complemented by original results. Particular focus lies on the structure-property relationships of nanocomposites and the materials’ design with the corresponding electrical properties. The critical factors, which contribute to the degradation or improvement of the electrical performance of such cable insulations, are discussed in detail; in particular, properties such as electrical conductivity, relative permittivity, dielectric losses, partial discharges, space charge, electrical and water tree resistance behavior and electric breakdown of such nanocomposites based on thermoplastic polymers are described and referred to the composites’ structures. This review is motivated by the fact that the development of polymer nanocomposites for power cables insulation is based on understanding more closely the aging mechanisms and the behavior of nanocomposites under operating stresses.

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One of the main targets of the research in the field of polymer nanocomposite dielectrics is to obtain new materials with improved dielectric properties (resistivity, dielectric strength, permittivity and dielectric losses). In this paper the variation of the real part of the permittivity and of the loss tangent with the frequency are investigated for three formulations of nanocomposites obtained from polyethylene filled with nanoparticles of SiO2, TiO2 and A1203, respectively. The influence of the filler concentration (between 2 and 10 wt%) on the dielectric behavior of the nanocomposite is analyzed as well. To simulate the electrical behavior of the polymer-filler interface which might explain the experimental results a 3D electrostatic model proposed on the basis of Tanaka's multi-core model is discussed. This model allows one to study the influence of several parameters such as the nanoparticle diameter, thickness of the interface layers, concentration and permittivity of the nanoparticles or the permittivities of the interface layers, on the effective permittivity of a plane nanodielectric sample.

The effect of poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-bstyrene] (SEBS) copolymer on the thermal and dielectric properties of polypropylene (PP)-nanosilica (NS) composites in relation with morphological aspects revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) was investigated in this article. SEBS hindered the crystallization process of PP in PP/NS composites, leading to a smaller degree of crystallinity and lower perfection of crystalline structure. Broader lamellar thickness distribution was obtained in nanocomposites containing SEBS. Almost two times higher dielectric loss as compared to PP reference and two relaxation processes were detected in e 00 r (f) curves of nanocomposites. The first peak, in the same frequency domain as for the references, was assigned to a-relaxation of polymer components together with interfacial polarization. The relaxation time follows the Arrhenius law with an activation energy of 80-90 kJ/mol. For the second process, the temperature dependence of the relaxation times obeyed the VFT equation. The dielectric changes following the incorporation of SEBS support its tendency to hinder the motional processes in PP, in accordance with DSC results. A smooth transition from a phase rich in SEBS to one containing mainly PP was detected in the AFM image of the composite with the larger amount of SEBS, emphasizing the good compatibility at the PP/SEBS interface.