Low-temperature plasma polymerized fluorocarbon coating promotes surface charge dissipation in polystyrene

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Polystyrene (PS) is a critical insulator in pulsed power devices.
• Surface charge accumulation on PS degrades its insulation properties.
• Surface modification is key to improving insulator performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a surface modification method for polystyrene insulators.
• To enhance the charge dissipation properties of PS using plasma polymerized fluorocarbon (PPFC) coatings.
• To evaluate the ageing and reusability of the modified surface.

Main Methods:

• Prepared PPFC coatings via low-temperature plasma polymerization.
• Utilized a mixture of methyl-methacrylate and dodecafluoroheptyl-methacrylate (DFHMA).
• Tested surface charge dissipation rates and assessed ageing and reusability after flashover.

Main Results:

• PPFC coatings significantly increased surface charge dissipation rate (over 6 times) compared to untreated PS.
• The DFHMA-containing coating exhibited no obvious ageing after storage.
• The modified surface demonstrated good reusability after surface flashover events.

Conclusions:

• Plasma polymerized fluorocarbon coatings are effective for enhancing charge dissipation in polymer dielectrics.
• The introduction of DFHMA improves coating stability and reusability.
• This study presents a novel method for preparing high-charge-dissipation polymers for demanding applications.