Measurements of charge accumulation: influence of laminate boundaries in polyethylene

Space charge accumulation has been measured in laminates of polyethylene (crosslinked and thermoplastic), which have been produced by melting two laminates together. Different surface treatments have further been performed in order to study the influence of space charge accumulation in the boundary layer. It is found that a non-treated surface could not be seen by means of charge accumulation in the interfacial region. Only by special surface treatments (oxidation by plasma or UV-radiation and chlorosulphonation) the boundary layer between the two laminates could be identified.