Effect of Nanosilica Grafted with Aromatic Voltage Stabilizer on Electrical Properties of Low-density Polyethylene

In this paper, electrical properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are improved using nano-SiO2 grafted with aromatic voltage stabilizers. Effects of nano-SiO2 content and surface modifications on the enhancement are studied. Nano-SiO2 grafted with aromatic voltage stabilizer (SiO2-SDA) is prepared, and to increase its compatibility with LDPE, SiO2-SDA grafted with alkylamine (SiO2-SDAC8) is also prepared. The LDPE nanocomposite, comprising LDPE and grafted nano-SiO2 at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3 wt%, undergoes a melt blending process to obtain the sample. Quantum chemical calculations are employed to analyse the aromatic voltage stabilizers. Carrier mobility and DC breakdown strength are used to assess the electrical properties. The results demonstrate that adding SiO2-SDA and SiO2-SDAC8 can reduce carrier mobility but increase the breakdown strength of LDPE. SiO2-SDAC8 exhibits a higher effect on this improvement. The study provides an effective method for improving the electrical properties of cable insulation materials.