Electrical Degradation and Breakdown in Polymers

Len Dissado studied chemistry at University College London, obtaining a First Class degree in 1963 and a PhD in 1966. He subsequently developed the theory of excitons and exciton-phonon interactions in molecular crystals at the Research School of Chemistry, ANU, Canberra, Australia. Since 1977, when he joined the Department of Physics at Chelsea College, University of London, his major interest has centred on the topic of dielectrics. When he became a consultant to Standard Telecommunications Laboratories (STL) in 1981, his interests expanded to cover the field of dielectric breakdown. He has published over 100 scientific papers on a wide range of topics and was awarded the degree of DSc in 1990 by the University of London.John Fothergill obtained his MSc in 1976 and PhD in 1979 from the School of Electronic Engineering Science, University College of North Wales, Bangor. He then worked for five years at Standard Telecommunication Laboratories on breakdown and degradation in high-voltage polymeric-insulated power cables. This work included advancing fundamental understanding in the field; developing new testing techniques for cables, statistical techniques for the interpretation of test results, and new techniques for jointing and handling cables. In 1984 he joined the Department of Engineering at Leicester University where he continues his research work.Gary Stevens studied physics at Queen Mary College, London and undertook postgraduate research in solid state physics. He joined the CEGB in 1975 and after a number of appointments in dielectrics and polymer research he led the Nonmetallic Materials Group at the Central Electricity Research Laboratory until 1989. He was then appointed Head of Electrical Sciences Group at National Power plc and he currently heads the Energy Utilisation Research Group. He is a member of the Institute of Physics and the Dielectrics Society, and has served on a number of BSI and CIGRE committees on solid electrical insulating materials. He has published widely in the area of polymer physics and materials science, dielectric material, conducting polymers and electrical breakdown.

• Part 1: Introduction to polymers and electrical breakdownChapter 1: Polymer structure and morphologyChapter 2: Polymers as wide band-gap insulatorsChapter 3: Overview of electrical degradation and breakdownPart 2: Treeing degradation in polymersChapter 4: Water treeing degradationChapter 5: Electrical tree degradationChapter 6: Tree-initiated breakdownChapter 7: Factors affecting treeingChapter 8: Routes to tree inhibitionPart 3: Deterministic mechanisms of breakdownsChapter 9: Charge injection and transport in insulating polymersChapter 10: Thermal breakdownChapter 11: Electromechanical breakdownChapter 12: Electronic breakdownChapter 13: Partial discharge and free volume breakdownPart 4: The stochastic nature of breakdownChapter 14: Statistical features of breakdownChapter 15: Stochastic models of breakdownPart 5: Engineering considerations for breakdown testing and degradation assessmentChapter 16: Breakdown testing and analysisChapter 17: Comparison of AC and DC breakdown behaviourChapter 18: Cable assessment proceduresChapter 19: Detecting electrical degradation non-destructivelyAppendix 1: Computer program for calculating Weibull parametersAppendix 2: Calculating the Threshold value of a 3-parameter Weibull Distribution using MATHCAD826 Appendix 3: Mathematical proof