The electric strength of Perspex as a function of voltage rise time

The electric strength of Perspex was measured using impulse voltages reaching their maximum values in times ranging from 05 μs to 10 000 μs. For sphere-sphere electrodes the electric strength is 60 MV cm−1 at the shortest rise time, 131 MV cm−1 at 177 μs, and 84 MV cm−1 for slowly rising direct voltage. Similar trends were found for point-plane electrodes. The results are consistent with a rapid accumulation of negative space charge close to the cathode, and a positive space charge close to the anode.