4 Electrical Properties

The use of plastics in the electrical industry as insulators for wire and cable insulation is
well known. The application of engineering resins to make miniature electric components,
printed circuit boards, conductive housings of computer equipment and the like, although
not so well known, is increasing. Some of the electrical properties which are of importance
in selecting a resin for these applications are treated in this section.

4.1 Surface Resistivity

Surface resistivity is defined as the ratio of electrical field strength to the current density in
a surface layer of an insulating material. It is the measure of a material's ability to resist the
flow of current along its surface when a direct voltage is applied between surface mounted
electrodes of unit width and unit spacing. The unit of surface resistivity is ohm [1], [3].

4.2 Volume Resistivity

Volume resistivity is the volume resistance reduced to a cubical unit volume of the
material. Volume resistance is the ratio of the direct voltage applied to the electrodes in
contact with the test material, to the steady-state current flowing between them [1], [3].
The unit of volume resistivity is ohm-m (Wm) or ohm-cm (Wcm).

4.3 Dielectric Strength

Dielectric strength is the measure of the electrical breakdown resistance of a material

under an applied voltage [I]. It is the ratio of the voltage reached just before breakdown to
the material's thickness and is expressed as kv/mm or Mv/m. Dielectric strength data for
some materials are given in Table 4.1.
 Table 4.1: Dielectric Strength Data for Plastics (Method ASTM D149) [6]

Material Dielectric strength

kv/25jim
PE-LD >700
PE-HD > 700
PP 800
PVC 300
PS 500
ABS 400
PC 350
POM 700
PA 6 350
PA 66 400
PMMA 300
PET 500
PBT 500

4.4 Relative Permittivity

Relative permittivity (%), formerly known as dielectric constant is the ratio of capacitance
(C) of a given configuration of electrodes with the plastics material as the dielectric
medium, to the capacitance (Cv) of the same configuration of electrodes with vacuum as
the dielectric [1], [3].

SR = ^r (4A1)
Cv
The performance of plastics as insulators increases with decreasing relative permittivity.

4.5 Dielectric Dissipation Factor or Loss Tangent

Dielectric dissipation factor is the ratio of the electrical power dissipated in a material to
the total power circulating in the circuit. It is the tangent of the loss angle (S) and is
analogous to tan5 which is the ratio between loss and storage moduli described in Section
1.3.2. A low dissipation factor is important for plastics insulators in high frequency
applications such as radar and microwave equipment. Relative permittivity and dissipation
factor are dependent on temperature, moisture, frequency and voltage [3]. Typical values
of volume resistivity, relative permittivity and loss tangent are given in Table 4.2 for some
polymers [1], [5] (see also Fig. 4.1 [2]).
 Polysulfone
Loss Tangent (tan S at 60 Hz)

Polycarbonate Polyethersulfone

Polyethylene
terephthalate

Polyimido
Type H

Temperature C

Fig. 4.1: Loss tangent as a function of temperature for some engineering thermoplastics [2]

Table 4.2: Typical Values of Volume Resistivity, Relative Permittivity

and Loss Tangent [1], [5]

Material Volume Relative Dielectric dissipation factor

resistivity permittivity or loss tangent tan<5 10 4
ohm x cm at 50 Hz at 20 0 C and 1 M H z
PE-LD 1017 2.3 1.2
PE-HD 1017 2.35 2
PP 10 17 3.5 400
PVC 1015 2.27 230
PS 10 17 2.5 1
ABS 1015 2.9 200
PC 1017 3 7
POM 1015 3.7 50
PA 6 1012 3.8 300
PA 66 1012 8.0 800
PMMA 1015 3.3 40
PET 1016 4.0 200
PBT 1016 3,0 200
4.6 Comparative Tracking Index (CTI)

Comparative tracking index indicates a plastics material's ability to resist development of

an electrical conducting path when subjected to current in the presence of a contaminating
solution [1], [3]. Contaminants, such as salt and moisture, allow increased conduction over
the surface which may lead to tracking, the appearance of conducting paths over the
surface. The deterioration of the surface quality is hence the cause of failure of high
voltage insulation systems [I]. The CTI is given in terms of maximum voltage, at which
no failure occurs, according to different test procedures. Typical values of CTI are given in
Table 4.3 [5].

Table 4.3: Typical Values of Comparative Tracking Index [5]

"Material I Test method KB

PE-LD >600
PE-HD > 600
PP > 600
PVC 600
PS 200
ABS 300
PC > 600
POM > 600
PA 6 > 600
PA 66 > 600
PMMA > 600
PBT I 450

Owing to their high electrical resistance plastics retain electrostatic charge which leads
to such undesirable effects as marked attraction of dust or creation of discharges when the
material comes into contact with other surfaces. This situation can be alleviated by using
anti-static agents in the polymer formulation. Polymers with intrinsic electrical
conductivity can also be used as anti-static coatings [I].
In addition to the properties treated in the foregoing sections the optical properties of
plastics products such as transparency and gloss of films play an important role in
selecting a resin in applications where these properties are required. The test procedures to
measure the optical properties are treated in [I].
A list of properties for which data can be obtained from the resin manufacturers, for
example, on CAMPUS computer disks is presented in Table 4.4. Example of material data
used as input to the software VISMELT [4] for designing extruders is given in Table 4.5.
 Table 4.4: List of Properties Obtainable from Resin Manufacturers

Tensile strength
Tensile elongation
Tensile modulus
Flexural strength
Flexural modulus
Compressive strength
Hardness
Abrasion
Izod impact strength

Material density
Bulk density
pvT diagrams
Specific heat
Enthalpy
Thermal conductivity
Vicat temperature
HDT (Heat distortion temperature)
Flammability UL 94 rating
LOI (Limiting Oxygen Index)

Dielectric strength
Surface resistivity
Volume resistivity
Relative permittivity
Dielectric dissipation factor or loss tangent
Comparative Tracking Index (CTI)
 Light transmission
Refractive Index

Melt Flow Rate (MFR)

Melt Volume Rate (MVR)
Shear viscosity as a function of shear rate and temperature of melt

Table 4.5: Example of Input Data to the Software Design Package VISMELT [4]
Type of Polymer: PE-HD

Trade name of polymer: HOECHST GM 9255 F

thermal properties :

melting point TM = 130.0 Grad Celsius

specific heat of melt CPM = 2.51 kJ / (kg K)
specific heat of solid CPS = 2.3 0 kJ / (kg K)
thermal conductivity of melt KM = .2700 W / (m K)
thermal conductivity of solid KS = .2800 W / (m K)
heat of fusion LAM = 200.000 kJ/kg
densitiy of melt RHOM = .78 g / cm**3
density of solid RHOS = .9430 g / cm**3
bulk density RHOS0 = .40 g / cm**3
Viscosity coefficients :

Carreau-coefficients :
A = 28625. Pa S B = .7126 S
C = .6535
TO = 200.0 Grad Celsius
b = 2447. K

Muenstedt-coefficients :
AO = 4.2410 Al = -.01304
A2 = -.55251 A3 = .222252
A4 = -.033758
TO = 200.0 Grad Celsius
b = 2425. K

Klein-coefficients :
 AO = .653721E+01 Al = -.722213E+00
All = -.989580E-02 A2 = -.213261E-Ol
A22 = .204288E-04 A12 = .473881E-03

Power law coefficients :

NR = .4022
BETA = .003919 l/Grad Celsius KOR = 60889. N s**n / m**2

Literature

1. Birley, A.W.: Haworth, B.: Bachelor, T.: Physics of Plastics, Hanser, Munich 1991
2. Rigby, R.B.: Polyethersulfone in Engineering Thermoplastics: Properties and Applications.
Ed.: James M. Margolis. Marcel Dekker, Basel 1985
3. General Electric Plastics Brochure: Engineering Materials Design Guide
4. Rao, N.S., O'Brien, K.T. and Harry, D.H.: Computer Modeling for Extrusion and other
Continous Polymer Processes. Ed. Keith T. O'Brien, Hanser, Munich 1992
5. BASF Brochure: Kunststoff-Physik im Gesprach, 1977
6. Domininghaus, H.: Plastics for Engineers, Hanser, Munich 1993