An experimental investigation into field enhanced ionic migration

Experiments have been carried out to measure the effects of field and field gradient on ionic penetration in a practical cable insulation material, namely, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). Application of an alternating electric field is shown to increase the flux of ions into XLPE. Flux enhancement is dependent on the field gradients present in the system. The flux also increases as the temperature is raised. The experimental results are in a qualitative agreement with the mechanism of field- and field-gradient-assisted ion migration proposed by R.A. Fouracre et al. (1986)