Improving the Dielectric Properties of High Density Polyethylene by Incorporating Clay-Nanofiller

Ossama E. Gouda¹, Sohair F. Mahmoud², Ahmed A. El-Gendy³, Ahmed S. Haiba²

¹Electrical Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
²High Voltage Metrology Lab, National Institute of Standards (NIS), Giza, Egypt.
³Nanotechnology and Nanometrology Lab, National Institute of Standards (NIS), Giza, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/wjet.2014.24030                

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites have been used for various important industrial applications. The preparation of high density polyethylene composed with Na-montmorillonite nanofiller using melt compounding method for different concentrations of clay-nanofiller of 0%, 2%, 6%, 10%, and 15% has been successfully done. The morphology of the obtained samples was optimized and characterized by scanning electron microscope showing the formation of the polymer nanocomposites. The thermal stability and dielectric properties were measured for the prepared samples. Thermal gravimetric analysis results show that thermal stability in polymer nanocomposites is more than that in the base polymer. It has been shown that the polymer nanocomposites exhibit some very different dielectric characteristics when compared to the base polymer. The dielectric breakdown strength is enhanced by the addition of clay-nanofiller. The dielectric constant (εr) and dissipation factor (Tan δ) have been studied in the frequency range 200 Hz to 2 MHz at room temperature indicating that enhancements have been occurred in εr and Tan δ by the addition of clay-nanofiller in the polymer material when compared with the pure material.

Keywords

Polymer Nanocomposites, High Density Polyethylene, Dielectric Breakdown, Dielectric Constant, Dissipation Factor

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Du, B.X. and Liu, H.J. (2010) Effects of Atmospheric Pressure on Tracking Failure of Gamma-Ray Irradiated Polymer Insulating Materials. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 17, 541-547. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2010.5448110
[2]	Carmona, F. (1989) Conducting Filled Polymers. Physica A, 157, 461-469. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-4371(89)90344-0
[3]	Bai, Y., Cheng, Z.-Y., Bharti, V., Xu, H.S. and Zhang, Q.M. (2000) High Dielectric-Constant Ceramic-Powder Polymer Composites. Applied Physics Letters, 76, 3804-3806. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.126787
[4]	Ueki, M.M. and Zanin, M. (1999) Influence of Additives on the Dielectric Strength of High-Density Polyethylene. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 6, 876-881. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/94.822030
[5]	Messersmith, P.B. and Giannelis, E.P.(1994) Synthesis and Characterization of Layered Silicate-Epoxy Nanocomposites. Chemistry of Material, 6, 1719-1725. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cm00046a026
[6]	Ray,S.S.and Okamoto,M.(2003)Polymer/Layered Silicate Nanocomposites: A Review from Preparation to Processing.Progress in Polymer Science,28,1539-1641. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2003.08.002
[7]	Gensler, R., Groppel, P., Muhrer, V. and Muller, N. (2002) Applications of Nanoparticles in Polymers for Electronic and Electrical Engineering. Particle and Particle Systems Characterization, 19, 293-299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1521-4117(200211)19:5<293::AID-PPSC293>3.0.CO;2-N
[8]	Tanaka, T. (2005) Dielectric Nanocomposites with Insulating Properties. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 12, 914-928. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2005.1522186
[9]	Cao, Y., Irwin, P.C. and Younsi, K. (2004) The Future of Nanodielectrics in the Electrical Power Industry. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 11, 797-807. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2004.1349785
[10]	Imai, T., Sawa, F., Ozaki, T., Inoue, Y., Shimizu, T. and Tanaka, T. (2006) Comparison of Insulation Breakdown Properties of Epoxy Nanocomposites under Homogeneous and Divergent Electric Fields. 2006 IEEE Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, Kansas, 15-18 October 2006, 306-309. http://140.98.202.196/xpl/login.jsptp=&arnumber=4105431&ur l=http%3A%2F%2F140.98.202.196%2Fstamp%2Fstamp.jsp%3Ftp%3D%26arnumber%3D4105431
[11]	Lewis, T.J. (2004) Interfaces Are the Dominant Feature of Dielectrics at the Nanometric Level. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 11, 739-753. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2004.1349779
[12]	Roy, M., Nelson, J.K., MacCrone, R.K. and Schadler, L.S. (2005) Polymer Nanocomposite Dielectrics—The Role of the Interface. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 12, 629-643. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2005.1511089
[13]	Ajayan, P.M., Schadler, L.S. and Braun, P.V. (2003) Nanocomposite Science and Technology. John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/3527602127
[14]	Liu, X.H. and Wu, Q.J. (2001) PP/Clay Nanocomposites Prepared by Grafting-Melt Intercalation. Elsevier Polymer, 42, 10013-10019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(01)00561-4
[15]	Hassan, M.A., El-Sayed, I., Nour, M.A. and Mohamed, A.A. (2012) Flammability Properties of HDPE Nanocomposites Based on Modification of Na-MMT with Organo Silane and Ammonium Phosphate Mono and Di Basic. Elixir Applied Chemistry, 46, 8328-8333. http://www.elixirpublishers.com/index.php?route=articles/category&path=305_306&page=9
[16]	Li, L. (2011) Dielectric Properties of Aged Polymers and Nanocomposites. Ph.D. Thesis, Iowa State University, Iowa.
[17]	Singha, S. and Thomas, M.J. (2008) Permittivity and Tan Delta Characteristics of Epoxy Nanocomposites. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 15, 2-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/T-DEI.2008.4446731
[18]	Singha, S. and Thomas, M.J. (2008) Dielectric Properties of Epoxy Nanocomposites. IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 15, 12-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/T-DEI.2008.4446732