Fluorine gas treatment improves surface degradation inhibiting property of alumina-filled epoxy composite

Epoxy resins blended with micro-sized alumina show more compact surface condition and exhibit lower light emission after modified in fluorinated atmosphere. Surface morphology reflected by atomic force microscope shows that the fluorinated surface layer can overlap alumina particles inlayed in the original surface and a smoother and more compact surface condition is generated. Thermally stimulated current test exhibits that surface fluorination is able to bring more shallow traps to surface states, and the trap amount increases with the extension of fluorinating time. The photon counting technique illustrates that the fluorinated surface has lower light emission which indicates better aging inhibition properties. Therefore, we believe that the surface fluorination technique may have potential significance in modifying epoxy based insulators used in high voltage applications.