Effects of electron-attaching and electron-releasing additives on streamers in liquid cyclohexane

The effects of electron-attaching and electron-releasing additives in cyclohexane on the initiation and propagation of positive and negative streamers have been studied quantitatively. Fast impulses (<20 ns, <40 kV) were applied on a 10 mm point-to-plane gap and studied by shadowgraphic imaging and a differential charge measurement technique. The properties of both positive and negative streamers depend on the specific electronic characteristic of the additives. Electron-attaching additives facilitate the propagation of negative streamers, whereas the most effective electron-releasing additives reduce initiation voltages and facilitate the propagation of positive streamers. Depending on the reactivity and concentration of the additives, streamer filaments become thinner and fewer while propagating faster and further. The Townsend-Meek theory for streamer inception in gases has been adapted to a solution and applied to analyze the voltage dependence of the positive streamer propagation. Results show a quantitative dependency on the ionization potential and concentration in agreement with experimental trends.