Charge injection into low density polyethylene by aqueous electrolyte contacts

Using an aqueous electrolyte of 1M H
₂
SO
₄
+ 1M and 0.5M FeCl
₃
as one electrode and aqueous 1M NaCl as the other electrode, electrical charge is passed through 25 μm thick sheets of low density polyethylene (LDPE). Measurements of current decay with time following voltage steps, the influence of cell voltage on cell current, and the effect of the concentration of Fe
_aq
⁺²
on the plot of cell voltage vs cell current indicate Fe
_aq
⁺²
is oxidized to Fe
_aq
⁺³
at the surface of LDPE and electrons are injected into localized deep levels (-5.2 to -6.2 eV) under the influence of a high dc voltage.