Conductivity simulations of field-grading composites

Abstract

The electrical conductivity and the percolation threshold of field grading polymer composites intended for high voltage applications were examined with representative elementary volume simulation methods based on percolation threshold modeling (PTM) and electrical network modeling (ENM). Comparisons were made with experimental conductivity data for SiC-EPDM composites with spherical and angular particles, using different filler fractions and electrical field strengths. With a known conductivity of the filler particles (powder), the simulations could predict the percolation threshold and the composite conductivity as functions of the electrical field for a wide range of SiC-filler fractions. The effects of morphology, dispersion and filler shape were examined and the simulations were able to explain the experimental difficulty of reaching sufficient reproducibility when designing composites with filler fractions close to a percolation threshold. PTM of composites containing hard-core/soft-shell spheres revealed a y = (a + bx)(-1/c) relationship (R 2 = 0.9997) between filler fraction and relative soft-shell thickness.