Conductivity and Surface Charge Properties of HTV SiR/SiC Composites under Impulse Superimposed on DC Voltage at Different Temperatures

Field grading materials (FGMs) with nonlinear conductivity, which can form a uniform local field in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables, have received considerable attention. This paper focuses on the temperature-dependent charge transport property of an FGM based on high-temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone rubber (SiR). A nonlinearity in the conductivity is achieved by mixing silicon carbide (SiC) particles with the SiR matrix. The conductivities of the samples are measured at temperatures of 30-90°C. In addition, the surface potential decay is analyzed. The experimental results show that the nonlinear conductivity is suppressed at high temperatures. Increased temperature can cause a lattice vibration, which scatters carriers and reduces the conductivity. With an increase in the homopolar impulse voltage, all samples experience a rise in the initial surface potential. The increase in SiC content and the increase in impulse voltage can both accelerate the decay process.