Abstract
The accelerated thermal aging of CSPE (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) was carried out for 33.64 and 67.27 days at 110[$^{\circ}C$], equivalent to 40 and 80 years of aging at 50[$^{\circ}C$], respectively. These samples were referred to as CSPE-0y, CSPE-40y and CSPE-80y, respectively. As the accelerated thermally aged years of the CSPE increase, the insulation resistance[$\Omega$] at 20[Hz], 500[Hz], and 2[KHz], and the percent elongation [%EL] of the CSPE decrease. However, the dissipation factor($tan{\delta}$) at 20[Hz], 500[Hz], and 2[KHz], the apparent density[$g/cm^3$], the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature of the CSPE were increased. The period of time that the voltage has to be applied until electric breakdown of the CSPE-0y is longer than that of the CSPE-40y, and the CSPE-80y, but the dielectric strength of the CSPE-80y is lower than that of the CSPE-0y and the CSPE-40y. The differential temperatures after the AC and DC voltages are applied to CSPE-0y, CSPE-40y and CSPE-80y are 0.026~0.028[$^{\circ}C$], 0.030~0.042[$^{\circ}C$], 0.018~0.045[$^{\circ}C$], respectively. The variations of temperature for the AC voltage are higher than those for the DC voltage when an AC voltage is applied to CSPE-0y, CSPE-40y and CSPE-80y. It is found that the dielectric loss owing to the dissipation factor[$tan{\delta}$] is related to the electric dipole conduction current. It is ascertained that the ionic (electron or hole) leakage current is increased by the separation of the branch chain of CSPE polymer from the main chain of the polyethylene as a result of thermal stress due to accelerated thermal aging as well as by conducting ions such as $Na^+$, $Cl^-$, $Mg^{2+}$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $Ca^{2+}$ and $K^+$ after seawater soaking.
