Measurements of acoustic waves generated by electrical breakdown in a polypropylene film

Electrical breakdown of a polymer film generates a pressure wave that is believed to include information about the breakdown initiation point. We measured the breakdown pressure wave and the space charge distribution up to the electrical breakdown field by using the pulsed electro-acoustic method in a 30 µm thick polypropylene film. We discuss electrical breakdown phenomena based on the breakdown pressure wave and the dependence of the space charge distribution on the applied field and temperature. At room temperature, the observed breakdown pressure wave had a pulse-like shape with a width that depended on the polarity of the applied field. Positive space charge accumulation was observed near the cathode as a hetero space charge near the electrical breakdown field. At 60 °C, the width of the breakdown pressure wave showed no dependence on the applied field polarity and positive space charge accumulation was observed inside the film near the electrical breakdown field. These experimental results suggest that electrical breakdown phenomena are affected by hetero space charge accumulation and that the initiation point of electrical breakdown corresponds to the position of hetero space charge accumulation in 30 µm thick polypropylene film. ©1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 126(3): 1–8, 1999