Nonlinear Electrical Behavior of Treated ZnO-EPDM Nanocomposites

Highly nonlinear electrically insulating materials have applications in high voltage cable applications. In this contribution, nanocomposites were prepared by blending ZnO nanoparticles or ZnO nanoparticles treated with aqueous SnX₂ (X = F or Cl), with EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer). The treated powders were a heterogeneous mixture of ZnO and SnO and show enhanced nonlinearity compared to pure ZnO. It was demonstrated that at certain filler concentrations, the resulting nanocomposites exhibited highly nonlinear I-V characteristics. We attempt to draw correlations between the phases present in the powders, the morphology, the nonlinear behavior of the powders, and the composite nonlinear I-V properties.