Space Charge Studies of Aged XLPE Using Combined Isothermal and Thermostimulated Current Measurements

Space charge in electrically aged cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) was studied using a procedure combining isothermal and non-isothermal measurements of charge and discharge currents. Aging is carried out using an AC field while immersing the disk-shaped samples in an ionic aqueous solution at constant temperature. After aging the samples were isothermally DC charged and discharged. Next a non-isothermal experiment with constant heating rate was performed (FTSDC). Finally the sample was kept at the highest temperature in order to completely discharge the polymer. The space charge introduced in the XLPE during aging can be analyzed from the study of the FTSDC spectra. The thermogram (FTSDC) shows a very broad peak. The peak is attributed to trapped space charge in traps with long relaxation times. It is possible to decompose it into three or four individual peaks and obtain the corresponding activation energies. The results were compared with previous ones obtained for LDPE (low density polyethylene) aged under similar conditions.