Nanodielectrics

Polymers and insulating fluids as dielectrics and electrical insulation are the cornerstones of electrical as well as electronics engineering. The former because of their excellent electrical properties, ease of processing and low cost, and the latter due to their superior heat transfer capabilities. With the increasing requirements for transfer power, hence increasing voltage level of power systems, the properties of dielectrics, in particular high-field electrical properties, need to be significantly improved to fulfill the requirements for operational safety and reliability of power systems in the long term. However, the techniques used for large scale production of dielectrics meet a bottleneck, when further improvement of electrical properties are necessary, while maintaining key thermo-mechanical properties. Fortunately, nanotechnology may provide solutions to this problem. Some nanoparticles have been identified to exhibit great potential for improving the electrical properties of dielectrics. In this case the nanoparticles-containing dielectric polymers they have been termed as Nanodielectrics, while liquid insulation systems with nanoscale matter are referred to as Nanofluids.