Polymer surfaces: designing materials to prevent or withstand discharge activity

Two approaches to the subject of surface discharge damage on polymeric materials are considered. First, we will examine one possible route to smart materials, which could be termed “semi-insulating”; i.e. systems with intermediate or non-linear conductivity characteristics situated within the range between good insulators (>10^-12 S cm^-1) and conventional semi-conductors (<10^-5 S cm^-1). Then, we will consider how surface discharges can induce damage and examine a novel simulation route which could be used to evaluate relative performance