Electrical properties of matter: Part I - theory and experimental results

The abundance of papers appearing in the literature of 1945, devoted to different aspects of the electrical behavior of many materials furnishes strong evidence of the increasing recognition being given to the importance of the fundamental electrical nature of matter. The dielectric constant, conductance, power factor, and electrical discharge methods have afforded effective means for observing the electrical behavior of various compounds in the different physical states. This has made possible an extended quantitative correlation of the electrical characteristics of materials with their physical and chemical properties. In the field of electrical insulation, dielectric studies have permitted the insulation material to be fore critically examined, not only in respect to its specific adaptation, but also in view of possible improvement to meet the increasingly rigid specifications demanded in the multiple commercial uses. This evaluation of electrical properties has been particularly vital in adaptations of insulating products in the higher frequency regions.