Abstract
Under environmental driving forces, the polymer backbone of the cabling insulations undergo oxidation, scission and crosslinking reactions that ultimately lead to changes in the physical properties of the plastics. The aim of this work is to develop new methods for quantifying rates and yields of chemical changes within the relevant insultation polymers and relate these changes to changes in the electrical barrier properties of the materials. Specifically, novel methods were employed for quantifying oxidation and crystallinity within thin films relying on attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Oxidation was quantified using doped films as solid-state calibration standards. The percent crystallinity was also determined by normalization of amorphous and crystalline IR-stretches. To observe electrical property changes, we applied electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with solutions of either gold nanoparticles (4-6 nm diameter) or a gold salt solution. Under the applied conditions, a drop in impedance was observed and predicted to be the result of Au3+ ion penetration into the aged films. Combining the ATR-FTIR measurements of oxidation and crystallinity, along with the impedance measurements, we have established a suite of strategies for evaluating polymers that will ultimately enable a predictive model for the failure of these plastics as insulators of electrical cables.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages | 866-873 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| State | Published - 2019 |
| Event | 19th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems - Water Reactors, EnvDeg 2019 - Boston, United States Duration: Aug 18 2019 → Aug 22 2019 |
Conference
| Conference | 19th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems - Water Reactors, EnvDeg 2019 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Boston |
| Period | 8/18/19 → 8/22/19 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the University of Minnesota Duluth and in part by the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy NEUP award DE-NE0008540. This manuscript has been co-authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan)
Funding Information:
This work was supptedoby trheUniversity of Minnesota Duluth and in part by the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy NEUP award DE-NE050T40his 08. manuscript has been co-authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under conracttDE-AC05-0R02O52with 7theU2S Department of Energy(DO E). The US gvronmeent retains and the plisuher, bby accepting the article for publicationack, nledeostghatwtheUSgovernmentretains a nnxocleuive,spaid-u, irprevocable, woldwride license to publish or reprocedthe publuished form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US gornventme purposes. DOE will proidevpbicualccess to these results of federally spoorned ressearch in accordance with the DOE PulicbAccess Plan (http://energ.gy/dowonlvoad/dse-policu-accebss-plan)
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 19th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems - Water Reactors, EnvDeg. All rights reserved.