Electron multiplication in liquid cyclohexane and propane

Previous studies of prebreakdown phenomena in very pure liquid cyclohexane have shown that, in a point-plane electrode assembly and for negative polarity of the point, a regular current pulse regime can be observed. This pulse regime, very similar to Trichel pulses found in air, corresponds to a mechanism of electron avalanche in the liquid phase of cyclohexane. Experimental and semiempirical investigations lead to the conclusion that the electrical discharge in the liquid phase of cyclohexane (N=5.57×10²¹ cm^-3) is similar to that in the vapor phase at a number density of only ~2.5×10²¹ cm^-3. The same results are obtained in propane. From known values of the multiplication coefficient α in gaseous propane and cyclohexane, values of α in the liquid phases are estimated according to the electric field