Influence of Some Chemical and Mechanicaleffects on XLPE Degradation

It is shown that the relatively large concentration of impurities in cables is even higher in water trees. Gas bubbles observed in cavities filled with different salt solutions generate very high pressures able to fracture XLPE samples. It was also observed that fracture in XLPE under a cyclic mechanical load is frequency-dependent. The influence of oxidation on dielectric properties is also discussed.