Experimental and Modeling Studies of 2D Clay/PE Nanocomposites for High Voltage Applications

Abstract

The exceptional properties of two-dimensional (2D) nanoclay fillers can alter the dielectric and thermo-mechanical properties of the thermoplastic materials and consequently extend its engineering applications. In this work, polyethylene (PE) was filled with 2D organo-modified montmorillonite nanolcay (O-MMT) to fabricate polyethylene/clay nanocomposites. The dielectric properties of neat PE and its nanocomposites were investigated. The results indicated that the dielectric permittivity and breakdown strength were increased by the incorporation of the 2D nanoclay filler. Based on the achieved experimental results, 2D finite element model (FEM) was performed to explain the physical mechanisms behind the improved breakdown strength of the nanocomposites.