Characteristics of space charge in polyethylene/ethylene-propylene-terpolymer laminates

This paper presents experimental results of space-charge distribution in polyethylene (PE) in contact with rubbers by the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) method. The rubbers used were ethylene-propylene copolymers (EPM) and ethylene-propylene-terpolymers (EPDM) with diene components of dicyclospentadiene (DCPD) and 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB). The influence of cross-linking on space charge in the EP rubbers under dc stress was examined. The cross-linking caused a polarity reversal of space charge in the interface between PE and EP rubber with the diene components. However, the cross-linking did not affect space charge in the interface between PE and EPM.