Influence of silica nanoparticle surface treatments on the water treeing characteristics of low density polyethylene

Premature failure of XLPE cables can occur due to water trees increased the susceptibility of polyethylene insulation to breakdown, and extensive studies have been made to improve the resistance of polyethylene to water treeing in the past. In this study, we investigated the influence of the incorporation of silica nanoparticles and the surface modification of silica nanoparticles on the water treeing characteristics of low density polyethylene (LDPE). It was found that the water tree retardation of LDPE was improved with the incorporation of the silica nanoparticles and that the water tree retardation of non-surface treated silica was superior to that of surface treated silica nanoparticles.