Repurposing Poly(3-hexylthiophene) as a Conductivity-Reducing Additive for Polyethylene-Based High-Voltage Insulation
Journal article, 2021

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is found to be a highly effective conductivity-reducing additive for low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which introduces a new application area to the field of conjugated polymers. Additives that reduce the direct-current (DC) electrical conductivity of an insulation material at high electric fields have gained a lot of research interest because they may facilitate the design of more efficient high-voltage direct-current power cables. An ultralow concentration of regio-regular P3HT of 0.0005 wt% is found to reduce the DC conductivity of LDPE threefold, which translates into the highest efficiency reported for any conductivity-reducing additive to date. The here-established approach, i.e., the use of a conjugated polymer as a mere additive, may boost demand in absolute terms beyond the quantities needed for thin-film electronics, which would turn organic semiconductors from a niche product into commodity chemicals.

poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)

conjugated polymers

electrical conductivity reducing additives

low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) insulation

Author

Amir Masoud Pourrahimi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Sarath Kumara

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Electric Power Engineering

Fabrizio Palmieri

University of Bologna

Liyang Yu

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Anja Lund

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Thomas Hammarström

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Electric Power Engineering

Per-Ola Hagstrand

Borealis GmbH

Ivan G. Scheblykin

Lund University

Davide Fabiani

University of Bologna

Xiangdong Xu

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Electric Power Engineering

Christian Müller

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Advanced Materials

0935-9648 (ISSN) 15214095 (eISSN)

Vol. 33 27 2100714

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

Materials Chemistry

Areas of Advance

Energy

DOI

10.1002/adma.202100714

PubMed

34048610

More information

Latest update

3/7/2024 9