RE- Re: Polyethylene -Reply

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: RE- Re: Polyethylene -Reply
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 08:23:01 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Alfred A. Skrocki[SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
Sent: 	Wednesday, June 18, 1997 7:29 PM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: FW: RE- Re: Polyethylene -Reply

Wednesday, June 18, 1997 5:01 AM STEPHEN SE CRAWSHAW
<SE-CRAWSHAW-at-wpg.uwe.ac.uk> wrote;

> Dear list
> 
> Regarding crosslinking of polyethylene.
> 
> Poly is crosslinkable, though as RM states, it is not easy. The
> process uses dimucyl peroxide at high temperatures in a nitrogen
> atmosphere to crosslink and cure. Cross linked polyethylene
> (XLPE) is probably the best high voltage insulating polymer and
> is used in supertension cable manufacture at up to 500Kv (that's
> one big cable).

Well it sounds like I was barking up the right tree! I wounder if
XLPE is available in sheet form.

> If you can get hold of some supertension cable, it makes a near
> perfect HV cap for Tesla coil use, though at about 50pF per metre,
> your going to need a fair length and it ain't cheap.

I think that would be doing it the hard way! Initialy my hopes were 
that one could crosslink standard LDPE in a home lab and end up with
XLPE but from what you describe it ain't going to be easy! Any of you
familiar with the electrical characteristics of irridiated LDPE? I 
had some exposure to it back in the 70's (excuse the pun) and 
remember that it was supposed to be more durable and I think it had a
much higher melting point too.

                               Sincerely

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                           Alfred A. Skrocki
                   alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com
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