The influence of moisture on the electrical properties of crosslinked polyethylene/silica nanocomposites

Crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE)/silica nanocomposites are promising candidates for future cable insulation. While a significant number of studies have demonstrated improved dielectric properties in nanocomposites compared to XLPE, the performance of polyolefin nanocomposites in humid environments has not received much attention. This paper presents and explains the dielectric behavior of XLPE/silica nanocomposites in humid environments such as the decrease in AC breakdown strength, increases in loss and space charge formation, and the significant reduction in water tree aging. XLPE/silica nanocomposites are found to have an increased moisture uptake compared to the XLPE base polymer due to inclusion of silica particles. It is hypothesized that the formation of a concentric shell surrounding the particle with a high concentration of water (water shell), and the change in the inter-particle/cluster distances are two major factors governing the dielectric behavior in wet XLPE/silica nanocomposites. The dispersion and distribution of the nanofillers were quantified using a new tool and a method to reconstruct the 3D structure was used to determine the size of the water shell required for percolation. It was found that a water layer thickness of tens of nanometers could initiate percolation in the XLPE/silica nanocomposites studied. Notwithstanding that, water tree growth was substantially reduced in the XLPE/silica nanocomposites, and some speculative explanations are provided on the basis of the characteristics observed.