Enhanced high-temperature DC dielectric performance of crosslinked polyethylene with a polystyrene pinning structure

In this paper, we propose a method on improving direct current (DC) dielectric performance by designing a polystyrene (PS) pinning crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) for the application of insulation materials on high voltage direct current (HVDC) extruded cable. Electrical experimental results show that the addition of PS (1-5 phr, parts per hundreds of resin) can significantly reduce DC conductivity and increase DC breakdown strength of XLPE in the test temperature range of 30-90 °C. Microstructure investigation shows PS distributed as particles could participate in the formation of a crosslinking network with the help of a crosslinking agent, thus forming a polymer pinning structure at the interface between XLPE and PS. It is believed that such a special design strengthens the structure of XLPE, which leads to the improved DC dielectric performance at elevated temperatures. Our findings may contribute a new solution for developing HVDC cable insulation materials.