Electric Conductivity and Dielectric Dispersion of Polyvinylchloride–Graphite Composites

Abstract

The dielectric properties of polyvinylchloride–graphite composites in a wide range of temperatures (20–150°C) and frequencies (25–10⁶ Hz) have been described and analyzed. Polyvinylchloride–graphite composites have been synthesized in accordance with powder technology by hot pressing in a hydraulic press and subsequent rapid cooling in a water–ice mixture (quenching mode). The dielectric permeability and electric conductivity of the polyvinylchloride–graphite composite system obey the power law of the percolation theory. The percolation threshold of these composites is ~6.35 vol % of graphite. At a certain concentration of graphite, polyvinylchloride–graphite composites exhibit high dielectric permeability, significant losses, and high dc and ac electric conductivity. With anincrease in the applied-field frequency, the permeability decreases, while theelectric conductivity, conversely, increases. It has been shown that the main mechanism of electric conductivity in polyvinylchloride–graphite insulators is barrier hopping; according to this mechanism, electrons hop over states localized in the vicinity of the Fermi level. In addition, the temperature and frequency dispersions of ε' and tanδ have been discussed; the specific features of the dispersion curves have been revealed.