Insulators, electrical conductivities

Properties Improved/FUlers Chemical Resistance FI eat Resistance Dimensional Stability Tensile Strength Stiffness Impact Strength Hardness Lubricity Electrical Insulation Electrical Conductivity Thermal Conductivity Moisture Resistance Processability Recommend for Use in ... 

In theory, heat in crystalline solids is transferred by three mechanisms (i) electrons (ii) lattice vibrations and (iii) radiation [44], Since zirconia is an electronic insulator (electrical conductivity occurring at high temperatures by oxygen ion diffusion), electrons play no part in the total thermal conductivity of the system. Hence, thermal conduction in zirconia-based ceramics is mainly by lattice vibrations (phonons) or by radiation (photons). 

Scientists have gradually found that carbon materials exhibit superior properties to any other materials in many aspects such as hardness, optical properties, temperature resistance, radiation resistance, resistance to chemical medicines, electrical insulation, electrical conductivity, and surface and interface properties. Carbon materials contain nearly all of the features of all materials on the earth, from the hardest to the softest, insulation to good thermal conductivity, and total absorption of light to being totally permeable to light. 

The isotope boron-10 is used as a control for nuclear reactors, as a shield for nuclear radiation, and in instruments used for detecting neutrons. Boron nitride has remarkable properties and can be used to make a material as hard as diamond. The nitride also behaves like an electrical insulator but conducts heat like a metal. 

Schematic diagram of a flame ionization detector. Ions and electrons formed in the flame provide an electrically conducting path between the flame at earth potential and an insulated cylindrical metal electrode at high potential. surrounding the flame the flow of current is monitored, amplified, and passed to the recording system.

The polysdanes are normally electrical insulators, but on doping with AsF or SbF they exhibit electrical conductivity up to the levels of good semiconductors (qv) (98,124). Conductivities up to 0.5 (H-cm) have been measured. However, the doped polymers are sensitive to air and moisture thereby making them unattractive for practical use. In addition to semiconducting behavior, polysilanes exhibit photoconductivity and appear suitable for electrophotography (qv) (125—127). Polysdanes have also been found to exhibit nonlinear optical properties (94,128). 

For many electronic and electrical appHcations, electrically conductive resias are required. Most polymeric resias exhibit high levels of electrical resistivity. Conductivity can be improved, however, by the judicious use of fillers eg, in epoxy, silver (in either flake or powdered form) is used as a filler. Sometimes other fillers such as copper are also used, but result in reduced efficiency. The popularity of silver is due to the absence of the oxide layer formation, which imparts electrical insulating characteristics. Consequently, metallic fibers such as aluminum are rarely considered for this appHcation. 

Heterogeneous Photocatalysis. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a technology based on the irradiation of a semiconductor (SC) photocatalyst, for example, titanium dioxide [13463-67-7] Ti02, zinc oxide [1314-13-2] ZnO, or cadmium sulfide [1306-23-6] CdS. Semiconductor materials have electrical conductivity properties between those of metals and insulators, and have narrow energy gaps (band gap) between the filled valence band and the conduction band (see Electronic materials Semiconductors). 

Excellent insulating properties, along with the abiUty to be stmctural components, make plastics the ideal candidate materials for electrical appHcations. Although generally used as insulators, carbon black or carbon fiber can be added to make plastic materials electrically conductive, thereby expanding their usefulness in the electronics area. 

Electrical Properties. Nylon has low electrical conductivity (high electrical resistivity) and behaves like an insulator. Nylon-6 has a resistivity of 6 X lO " Hem when dry and a resistivity of 2 x lO " Hem when conditioned at 100% rh at 20°C (44) nylon-6,6 responds similarly. 

For insulators, Z is very small because p is very high, ie, there is Htde electrical conduction for metals, Z is very small because S is very low. Z peaks for semiconductors at - 10 cm charge carrier concentration, which is about three orders of magnitude less than for free electrons in metals. Thus for electrical power production or heat pump operation the optimum materials are heavily doped semiconductors. 

Vulcani2ed mbber is an insulator (volume resistivity is 10 Q-cm), and the static generated by mbber tires created serious problems in vehicles until the introduction of electrically conductive carbon black as a reinforcing pigment. An excellent correlation was found between the potential generated and the resistivity of the tires (127,128) (see Rubber natural). 

In the broad range of ceramic materials that are used for electrical and electronic apphcations, each category of material exhibits unique property characteristics which directiy reflect composition, processing, and microstmcture. Detailed treatment is given primarily to those property characteristics relating to insulation behavior and electrical conduction processes. Further details concerning the more specialized electrical behavior in ceramic materials, eg, polarization, dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, electrooptic, and magnetic phenomena, are covered in References 1—9. 

Materials are usually classified according to the specific conductivity mode, eg, as insulators, which have low conductivity and low mobihty of carriers. Metahic conductors, which include some oxides, have a high conductivity value which is not a strong (exponential) function of temperature. Semiconductors are intermediate and have an exponential temperature dependence. Figure 1 gives examples of electrical conductivities at room temperature for these various materials. 

However, conductive elastomers have only ca <10 of the conductivity of soHd metals. Also, the contact resistance of elastomers changes with time when they are compressed. Therefore, elastomers are not used where significant currents must be carried or when low or stable resistance is required. Typical apphcations, which require a high density of contacts and easy disassembly for servicing, include connection between Hquid crystal display panels (see Liquid crystals) and between printed circuit boards in watches. Another type of elastomeric contact has a nonconducting silicone mbber core around which is wrapped metalized contacts that are separated from each other by insulating areas (25). A newer material has closely spaced strings of small spherical metal particles in contact, or fine soHd wires, which are oriented in the elastomer so that electrical conduction occurs only in the Z direction (26). 

This article addresses the synthesis, properties, and appHcations of redox dopable electronically conducting polymers and presents an overview of the field, drawing on specific examples to illustrate general concepts. There have been a number of excellent review articles (1—13). Metal particle-filled polymers, where electrical conductivity is the result of percolation of conducting filler particles in an insulating matrix (14) and ionically conducting polymers, where charge-transport is the result of the motion of ions and is thus a problem of mass transport (15), are not discussed. 

When doped, low band-gap polymers have optical transitions in the infrared region of the spectmm, and therefore transmit more visible light in the conducting form than in the insulating form. This feature enables this class of conducting polymers to be investigated for a number of optical appHcations where both electrical conductivity and optical transparency are desired. 

---