Dielectric materials

Dielectric materials

Materials which are electrical insulators or in which an electric field can be sustained with a minimal dissipation of power. Dielectrics are employed as insulation for wires, cables, and electrical equipment, as polarizable media for capacitors, in apparatus used for the propagation or reflection of electromagnetic waves, and for a variety of artifacts, such as rectifiers and semiconductor devices, piezoelectric transducers, dielectric amplifiers, and memory elements. The term dielectric, though it may be used for all phases of matter, is usually applied to solids and liquids.

The ideal dielectric material does not exhibit electrical conductivity when an electric field is applied. In practice, all dielectrics do have some conductivity, which generally increases with increase in temperature and applied field. If the applied field is increased to some critical magnitude, the material abruptly becomes conducting, a large current flows (often accompanied by a visible spark), and local destruction occurs to an extent dependent upon the amount of energy which the source supplies to the low-conductivity path. This critical field depends on the geometry of the specimen, the shape and material of the electrodes, the nature of the medium surrounding the dielectric, the time variation of the applied field, and other factors. Temperature instability can occur because of the heat generated through conductivity or dielectric losses, causing thermal breakdown. Breakdown can be brought about by a variety of different causes, sometimes by a number of them acting simultaneously. Nevertheless, under carefully specified and controlled experimental conditions, it is possible to measure a critical field which is dependent only on the inherent insulating properties of the material itself in those conditions. This field is called the intrinsic electric strength of the dielectric. See Electrical breakdown

Many of the traditional industrial dielectric materials are still in common use, and they compete well in some applications with newer materials regarding their electrical and mechanical properties, reliability, and cost. For example, oil-impregnated paper is still used for high-voltage cables. Various types of pressboard and mica, often as components of composite materials, are also in use. Elastomers and press-molded resins are also of considerable industrial significance. However, synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyamide, and polyimide have become important, as has polycarbonate because it can be fabricated into very thin films. Generally, polymers have crystalline and amorphous regions, increasing crystallinity causing increased density, hardness, and resistance to chemical attack, but often producing brittleness. Many commercial plastics are amorphous copolymers, and often additives are incorporated in polymers to achieve certain characteristics or to improve their workability.

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Dielectric materials

Materials which are electrical insulators or in which an electric field can be sustained with a minimal dissipation of power. Dielectrics are employed as insulation for wires, cables, and electrical equipment, as polarizable media for capacitors, in apparatus used for the propagation or reflection of electromagnetic waves, and for a variety of artifacts, such as rectifiers and semiconductor devices, piezoelectric transducers, dielectric amplifiers, and memory elements. The term dielectric, though it may be used for all phases of matter, is usually applied to solids and liquids.

The ideal dielectric material does not exhibit electrical conductivity when an electric field is applied. In practice, all dielectrics do have some conductivity, which generally increases with increase in temperature and applied field. If the applied field is increased to some critical magnitude, the material abruptly becomes conducting, a large current flows (often accompanied by a visible spark), and local destruction occurs to an extent dependent upon the amount of energy which the source supplies to the low-conductivity path. This critical field depends on the geometry of the specimen, the shape and material of the electrodes, the nature of the medium surrounding the dielectric, the time variation of the applied field, and other factors. Temperature instability can occur because of the heat generated through conductivity or dielectric losses, causing thermal breakdown. Breakdown can be brought about by a variety of different causes, sometimes by a number of them acting simultaneously. Nevertheless, under carefully specified and controlled experimental conditions, it is possible to measure a critical field which is dependent only on the inherent insulating properties of the material itself in those conditions. This field is called the intrinsic electric strength of the dielectric.

Many of the traditional industrial dielectric materials are still in common use, and they compete well in some applications with newer materials regarding their electrical and mechanical properties, reliability, and cost. For example, oil-impregnated paper is still used for high-voltage cables. Various types of pressboard and mica, often as components of composite materials, are also in use. Elastomers and press-molded resins are also of considerable industrial significance. However, synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyamide, and polyimide have become important, as has polycarbonate because it can be fabricated into very thin films. Generally, polymers have crystalline and amorphous regions, increasing crystallinity causing increased density, hardness, and resistance to chemical attack, but often producing brittleness. Many commercial plastics are amorphous copolymers, and often additives are incorporated in polymers to achieve certain characteristics or to improve their workability.