As one of the critical insulating materials with low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss for high-voltage and high-power semiconductor devices, silicone gel is highly prone to electrical treeing degradation due to severe operating conditions of high frequency, high voltage, and elevated temperatures. However, existing researches have no enough comprehensive investigations into the growing models and suppression methods of electrical tree in silicone gel, impeding further advancement in high-voltage and high-power devices. This paper established a growing model for electrical tree in silicone gel based on the theory of bond-breaking and self-healing, and validated the accuracy of the model through electrical tree growth and inhibition experiments under high-frequency sinusoidal and bipolar square wave voltage. The results demonstrate that the bond-breaking rate (Rb) and self-healing rate (Rs) collectively regulate the development of electrical tree in silicone gel as the voltage application time increases: when Rb>>Rs, electrical tree grows rapidly; when Rb is slightly greater than Rs, electrical tree exhibits slow growth; when Rb<Rs, electrical tree propagation stagnates. It is indicated that electrical tree in silicone gel under high-frequency sinusoidal or square wave voltages exhibit a stepped propagation characteristic, which aligns with the proposed model. Furthermore, combined with existing data in literature, it is further illustrated that the proposed growth model of electrical trees in silicone gel can be universally applicable to the scenarios driven by different driving factors such as voltage waveforms and temperatures. A method of doping ultraviolet absorber into silicone gel is proposed to suppress electrical tree development. The effectiveness of this method is confirmed through discharge luminescence spectroscopy and laser confocal fluorescence microscopy characterization. This study provides theoretical foundations and experimental references for the further development of high-voltage and high-power encapsulation insulation.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |