ELECTRICAL TREEING PROPAGATION IN NANOCOMPOSITES AND THE ROLE OF NANOFILLERS: SIMULATION WITH THE AID OF CELLULAR AUTOMATA

Despoina Pitsa – George Vardakis – Michael G. Danikas – Masahiro Kozako

   In this paper the propagation of electrical treeing in nanodielectrics using the DIMET (Dielectric Inhomogeneity Model for Electrical Treeing) is studied. The DIMET is a model which simulates the growth of electrical treeing based on theory of Cellular Automata. Epoxy/glass nanocomposites are used as samples between a needle-plane electrode arrangement. The diameter of nanofillers is 100 nm. The electric treeing, which starts from the needle electrode, is examined. The treeing growth seems to be stopped by the nanofillers. The latter act as elementary barriers to the treeing propagation.

Keywords: electrical trees, nanocomposites, nanofillers, breakdown, tree growth

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