Surface charge growth on polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

The way in which charge is produced on the surface of an insulator, and the mechanism by which it spreads, are fundamental processes which need to be understood in order to assess the electric field in the neighbourhood of a triple junction prior to flashover. Previous studies of surface charge development have given conflicting results. In view of the importance of these effects for the design of satisfactory insulation systems, the authors have undertaken an experimental study of the dynamics of charge accumulation under controlled conditions. The present work is a continuation of their earlier studies but is deliberately confined to a restricted set of experimental variables