Abstract
Crosslinked polyethlyene/silane crosslinked polyethylene(XLPE/SXLPE) blends were prepared by a twin screw extruder and their water tree growing electrical breakdown and crossinking characteristics were investigated. The water tree characteristics of XLPE were improved by the addition of SXLPE when samples were crosslinked only by the thermorolysis of DCP (dicumyl peroxide). However steam curing process was not good for water tree characteristics. It was also found that the rate of water tree growing of XLPE/SXLPE blend increased when the content of SXLPE was 50%. AC breadown strength slightly increaed by the addition of SXLPE to XLPE when samples were crosslinked only by the thermorolysis of DCP. It was also found that the degree of crosslinking of XLPE/SXLPE blends were higher than that of XLPE in the case of the content without steam crosslinking process.