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Enhanced electrical insulating properties of polyethylene by incorporating polyethylene‐ g ‐polystyrene graft copolymers
Author(s) -
Sun Xiaopeng,
Yang Fanghong,
Yao Zhanhai
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.6114
Subject(s) - linear low density polyethylene , materials science , polyethylene , polystyrene , composite material , compatibilization , rheology , copolymer , microstructure , polymer blend , polymer chemistry , polymer
Aiming at utilizing the electron energy absorption characteristic of the benzene ring in polystyrene (PS) to enhance the electrical properties of insulation, here linear low density polyethylene grafted PS graft copolymers (LLDPE‐ g ‐PS) have been synthesized by pre‐irradiation and suspension grafting technology. Then, LLDPE‐ g ‐PS was added in LLDPE to prepare LLDPE/LLDPE‐ g ‐PS blends, of which the microstructure and thermal, rheological, electrical and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. Scanning electron microscopy showed that no interfacial debonding occurred in the blends. Rheological measurements showed that the viscoelastic properties of the blends were roughly the same as those of LLDPE. In terms of electrical properties, as LLDPE‐ g ‐PS was added, the injection of space charges was markedly suppressed. Meanwhile, all blends presented higher DC breakdown strength and the maximum was 1.45 times higher than that of LLDPE. Besides, blends exhibited little change in mechanical properties compared with LLDPE when PS contents were lower than 10 wt%. This investigation proposes an efficient method to improve the electrical properties of insulating materials. © 2020 Society of Industrial Chemistry