Space charge accumulation on multilayer graphene/epoxy nanocomposites

Nanocomposite materials are nowadays widely studied. It is often desired, by the addition of nanoparticles in an insulating matrix, to improve electrical and thermal properties. However, few types of nanoparticles enable improvement of combined electrical and thermal properties. Here the influence of the presence of graphene nanoparticles in an epoxy matrix on space charge accumulation is studied. Thus, several percentages of graphene nanoparticles (0.05 wt.%, 0.1 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%), voluntarily chosen below the electrical percolation threshold and an epoxy resin as reference, are studied in order to evaluate the influence of the content of the nanoparticles in the epoxy matrix on space charge accumulation. Space charge measurements have been performed using the Thermal Step Method. The influence of the applied dc electric field and temperature during the poling has also been studied.