This research is expected to provide data which will further the understanding of the science of polymer materials used for electrical insulation applications and which can be used to develop better materials for power apparatus. During the course of this project, the following will be undertaken: 1)the study of the fundamental mechanisms leading to the failure of polymeric insulating materials used in outdoor power apparatus, and 2)the development of a theoretical model to predict the optimum conditions for failure and life of polymeric insulating materials. The study will use a variety of experimental techniques such as simulated outdoor testing in a fog chamber equipped with an on-line data acquisition system, study of the composition and bonding arrangement of molecules on the surface of a specimen using Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis, and the determination of molecular energy levels using scanning electron microscopy and gel permeation chromatography.
