TABLE OF CONTENTS The purpose of this chapter is to provide sufficient information to allow the reader to understand the significance of the electrical test procedures, compare the electrical property values between several potential polymers that meet the application requirements, and provide process assistance in making the appropriate polymeric material selection for electrical product application.
Materials such as wood, glass, fabrics, mineral oil, and ceramics were originally used for electrical product applications to provide mechanical structure support, shielding, and insulation between the electrically live components and the ground. As the electrical/electronics industry grew, so did the need for an alternative material that possessed the desired electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties and could be produced economically.
The advent of new high performance engineering polymeric materials has assisted in the development and applications of electrical/electronic components. The combination of characteristics such as ease of fabrication, low cost, lighter weight, and excellent insulation properties has made plastics one of the most desirable materials for electrical applications.
Polymeric materials are now specified in a majority of applications requiring resistance to extreme temperatures, chemicals, moisture, and stress.
In electrical/electronic applications, polymeric materials usually serve a selective insulation or signal transmission function, which is frequently combined with a structural purpose.
The important properties and characteristics of polymeric materials can be grouped into two basic categories: the insulation or dielectric properties and the service temperature index classifications. The temperature index classification is particularly important in today's electronic systems, which are often required to operate at elevated temperatures.
The...
