Kinetics of Charge Accumulation and Decay on Silicone Rubber/SiO₂ Nanocomposite Surface

The accumulation and decay of surface charge on silicone rubber (SiR)/SiO₂ nanocomposites under a unipolar corona discharge field was investigated. The effect of the weight ratio of SiO 2 nanoparticles from 0.1 to 0.7 wt.% was studied. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectra of the SiR/SiO₂ nanocomposites indicated that the SiO₂ nanoparticles chemically and physically interacted with the SiR matrix. This facilitated the SiR chains in restricting the injection of surface charge into the bulk nanocomposite. SiR composites containing SiO₂ nanoparticles (especially that containing 0.1 wt.% SiO₂) exhibited significantly reduced surface discharge. This approach may have application in outdoor SiR electrical insulators.