Structure and dielectric breakdown strength of nano calcium carbonate/polypropylene composites

Nanodielectrics, a 21st-century phenomena, is envisioned to be the answer for material challenges in progressive high-voltage technology. It is well known that the proper dispersion of nanoparticles plays a key role in improving the dielectric properties of a material, but to understand where changes in the properties of a material originate, it is also essential to reveal the multiscale structure of the material. In this study, the dielectric permittivity, breakdown strength, and structure of nano calcium carbonate (nano-CaCO3)/polypropylene composites with 1.8-8.1 wt % doping were characterized systematically. The combined results from transmission electron microscopy, Raman microscopy, a…

The effect of curing conditions on the electrical properties of an epoxy resin

Dielectric properties and partial discharge endurance of polypropylene-silica nanocomposite

This paper presents the results of the dielectric properties and partial discharge endurance measurements conducted on polypropylene (PP)-silica nanocomposite. The material compounds were analyzed with micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray tomography and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ac and dc breakdown strength of the materials was measured. Dielectric response, capacitance and loss factor of the film samples were measured as a function of temperature and frequency. Partial discharge (PD) endurance of the reference PP and PP Silica nanocomposite was studied as a function of ac voltage. Material surfaces were analyzed after PD stress with optical microscopy. All dielectric measurements …

Dielectric breakdown strength of epoxy bimodal-polymer-brush-grafted core functionalized silica nanocomposites

The central goal of dielectric nanocomposite design is to create a large interfacial area between the matrix polymer and nanofillers and to use it to tailor the properties of the composite. The interface can create sites for trapping electrons leading to increased dielectric breakdown strength (DBS). Nanoparticles with a bimodal population of covalently anchored molecules were created using ligand engineering. Electrically active short molecules (oligothiophene or ferrocene) and matrix compatible long poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) chains comprise the bimodal brush. The dielectric breakdown strength was evaluated from recessed samples and dielectric spectroscopy was used to study the di…

Hydrolyzed infant formula and early β-cell autoimmunity: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance The disease process leading to clinical type 1 diabetes often starts during the first years of life. Early exposure to complex dietary proteins may increase the risk of β-cell autoimmunity in children at genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Extensively hydrolyzed formulas do not contain intact proteins. Objective To test the hypothesis that weaning to an extensively hydrolyzed formula decreases the cumulative incidence of diabetes-associated autoantibodies in young children. Design, Setting, and Participants A double-blind randomized clinical trial of 2159 infants with HLA-conferred disease susceptibility and a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes recruited from May 2002 to Ja…

Influence of low amounts of nanostructured silica and calcium carbonate fillers on the large-area dielectric breakdown performance of bi-axially oriented polypropylene

Influence of low amounts (1.0-2.0wt-%) of nanostructured silica and calcium carbonate fillers on the large area dielectric breakdown performance of bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is analyzed. A multi-breakdown measurement method based on the self-healing breakdown capability of metallized film is utilized for the breakdown characterization in order to cover relatively large total film areas, thus leading to results of higher relevance from the practical point-of-view. The dispersion and distribution qualities of filler particles at the nanoscale are evaluated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. Weibull statistical analysis suggests that the breakdown distribution …

Characterization of Iron−Carbonyl-Protected Gold Clusters

Ligand-stabilized nanometer-sized gold particles are interesting building blocks for molecular electronics, precursors for catalysts, optical labels for biomolecules and diagnosis, and potential nontoxic carriers for therapeutics. In this work we characterize for the first time, by means of near-infrared and Raman spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional calculations, gold clusters protected with iron-carbonyl ligands, such as {Au(22)[Fe(CO)(4)](12)}(6-) shown in the figure. Surprisingly, our results show that these novel compounds bear many analogues to another, well-studied, class of gold clusters, namely those of thiolate-monolayer-protected gold clusters. Our work adds a new d…

Large-area dielectric breakdown performance of polymer films

In this study, large-area dielectric breakdown performances of various bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP)-silica nanocomposite films are studied by utilizing the self-healing multi-breakdown method presented in the Part I of this publication. In particular, the effects of silica filler content, pre-mixing method, co-stabilizer content and film processing on the large-area breakdown performance are analyzed. Nanostructural and film cross-sectional analyses are correlated to the breakdown responses. The optimum silica filler content is found to reside at the low fill fraction level (~1 wt-%) and automatic pre-mixing of the raw materials and the optimization of the orientation temperatur…

Structural studies of dielectric polymer nanocomposites

A constant need for the development of new and superior materials is always present; for example, a better electrical insulator would enable more efficient use of electrical power. Polymeric nanocomposites, i.e. nanodielectrics, are thought to have unique electrical properties. The basic chemical constitution of a material alone fails to provide an understanding of how desired properties of a material originate or predict the long term behavior of a material. We need to define the structure behind the functionality of a material. To do that, the structure of the material must be studied on several scales. This research was part of the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TE…