Electrical aging tests on nanocomposite polymer blends based on LDPE

The insulation of power supply cables is increasingly performed by non-polar polymers. These materials, mainly polyolefins, combine low density and low cost of production. Among them, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is up to date the best choice for an effective high voltage insulation. The aim of this work is to investigate the possibility to find out a new materials for electrical insulations that could be a valid substitute of XLPE. The dispersion of polar polymers, such as EVA, in non-polar polymers could be a strategy to better disperse polar nanofillers in the polymer matrices, leading to better performances. In this work the electrical behaviour of the LDPE and EVA composites, in the short and medium term, has been investigated after an assessment of the dispersion quality, of the morphology and of the thermal properties of the prepared samples.