Electrical Insulation Breakdown Strength in Epoxy/Spherical Alumina Composites for HV Insulation

In order to develop high voltage (HV) insulation materials, epoxy/spherical alumina composites with two different particle sizes (in ${\mu}m$) were prepared and a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and electrical insulation breakdown strength test were carried out in sphere-sphere electrodes and the data were estimated using Weibull statistical analysis. Alumina content varied from 50 to 70 wt%. The electrical insulation breakdown strength for epoxy/alumina (50 wt%) was 44.0 kV/1 mm and this value decreased with increasing alumina content. The effects of insulation thickness and alumina particle size on the insulation breakdown strength were also studied. The insulation thickness varied from 1 mm to 3 mm, and the particle sizes were 7.3 or $40.3{\mu}m$.