Re: Liquid polymer dielectric?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Liquid polymer dielectric?
From: Steve Rodway <Legion-at-bigfoot-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 18:56:04 -0600
Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Tesla List wrote:

> I light of all the discussions on various dielectrics and methods of
> making our own capacitors I have noted the following things
> 1)liquid dielectrics are superior primarily due to their greater
> surface area. and ability to "heal" after an accidental ESD puncture.

    Possibly not, virtually  all polymers will carbonise if an arc is struck
in them, the soot produced would mean that you would have to drain and
solvent wash your capacitor and then re-fill it, althought this may still
involve less work than making a new rolled poly cap.

> 2) Plastics are superior due to their inherently greater dilectric
> constant and associated increased charge per unit volume.
>
> With these properties in mind it seems that a capacitor made from a
> couple of nested metal containers and seperated by some sort of un-cured
> polymer or other such "plastic liquid ?" ought to have a lot of good
> propertys. Any suggestions for materials?

    Most uncured plastic actually consist of the monomer which is a
pre-curser chemical for the manufacture of the polymer and may have very
different properties for the polymer is it ment to become. There do exist
however specialist "Electronic fluids" which are designed for exactly this
purpose.

--
**********************************************************************
*Stephen Rodway             Legion-at-Bigfoot-dot-com *  Support your local *
*Tel. 01761 300615                             *     coroner....     *
*For Email use PGP where possible.             *    Die strangely!   *
*http://www.legion-elec.demon.co.uk/index.htm  *                     *
**********************************************************************