Influence of processing on the conductive properties of PANI-EB-filled polyethylene

Polyaniline is well known as a conducting polymer. In its non-conducting emeraldine base form, in addition, polyaniline shows a non-linear electric conductivity with respect to an increased electric field. Materials of such characteristics can be used as field grading in high voltage applications. In a previous study it was noted that the conductive properties of such a compound was severely reduced due to the extrusion process [7]. In this paper, the electrical conductivity is studied in a set of XLPE/PANI/CB composites after being extruded into a continuous tape using a refined extrusion process. A tape was successfully extruded, and it was shown from measurements on flat pads pressed from extruded tape that non-linear properties were still present after extrusion. The highly loaded tapes showed brittle mechanical properties, but was flexible enough to be lapped and vulcanized onto a model sized cable.