Effects of temperature on electrical treeing and partial discharges in epoxy/silica nanocomposites

This article reports the effect of temperature on tree propagation and phase resolved partial discharge (PRPD) pattern in epoxy/silica nanocomposite. The results show that tree shapes in 0-wt% and 5-wt% samples change from branch-like to bush-like as temperature rises. The tensile stress tends to decrease when the temperature is high, and a tree can select numerous paths to propagate; however, tree shapes in 10-wt% samples keep bush-like regardless of the temperature. It is suggested that nano-particle effect of inhibiting trees is more likely to occur at high temperatures rather than at room temperature. When a tree starts to propagate, the PRPD pattern tends to form wing-like one regardless of the amount of nano-particle and the temperature.