Space charge behavior in an antistatic polymer including polymer solid electrolyte

A polymer dielectric material tends to be easily charged and may cause an electrostatic discharge, due to the serious problems that result when consequent electromagnetic noise damages the electronic circuits in various kinds of apparatus. The antistatic polymers that have been developed to prevent electrostatic discharge contain polymer solid electrolytes so that space charge originally exists inside them. The mechanism of the antistatic discharge effect of the polymer has been investigated by measuring the space charge distribution using the high-resolution pulsed-electroacoustic method. The experimental results suggest that the internal space charge of the polymer accumulates at the surface and forms heterocharge distribution at the interface between the electrodes and the specimen. Thus, internal space charge compensates the applied electric field, resulting in preventing the increase of the surface potential. In addition, internal space charge behavior relates to the dispersion condition of the polymer solid electrolyte that depends on the quantity of the electrolytes and the specimen procedures.