Field emission discharge ‡ and electrical breakdown in cellular compounds ∗

The field emission discharged and electrical breakdown potentials are demonstrated for cellular compounds in four experiments. Three experiments demonstrate the effects of electrode spacing, variations in compound density and type, and a thermal vacuum environment on the field emission discharge? and electrical breakdown potential. The thermal vacuum analysis combines the effects of elevated temperature and low pressure with the application of a constant potential (10 kVdc). The fourth experiment demonstrates that chemical reactions leading to conductive products and compound failure do occur at the field emission discharge? potential. Experimentally, relationships are shown to exist between the electrical breakdown potential and both the electrode spacing and the compound density; the field emission discharge? potential is found to be a function of the electrode spacing, but is not defined with respect to density. The field emission discharge? level is determined to be the critical potential in compound analysis, with the electrical breakdown potential representing the results of accelerated chemical reaction (and emission discharges) caused by the increasing potential.