Study on space charge accumulation characteristics of silicone elastomer under DC voltage

Abstract The electric field distortion caused by the accumulation of space charge in the insulating dielectric is easy to lead to accelerated ageing and even breakdown. In this paper, the space charge characteristics and the interfacial electric field change with time of silicone elastomer under different polarity DC voltages are studied. The results show that the homopolar charge injection is dominant in the silicone elastomer, and the electric field threshold is less than 4 kV/mm. The accumulation of homopolar charge weakens the interfacial electric field, resulting in the reduction of charge injection, and the interfacial electric field and spatial charge distribution gradually stabilise over time. In addition, the electric field at the interface does not decrease to the charge injection field threshold when it reaches stability. A time‐varying electric field model of the metal‐dielectric interface under a direct current field is derived and a calculation method for the time of charge accumulation to stabilise is proposed, based on the Schottky injection model and the relation between current density and volume charge density. The accuracy of the model is verified by comparing it with the experimental results of the stability time of silicone elastomer. This model is used to estimate the time when space charge accumulation reaches stability by means of the electric field threshold and the interface barrier, which can provide reference for the experimental measurement of space charge.