Interpretation of surface potential kinetics in HDPE by a trapping model

Abstract

This paper presents an empirical decay relationship containing five parameters depending on field strength and temperature for describing the isothermal surface potential kinetics of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) over a wide range of field strength and temperature for samples of different thickness subjected to positive or negative corona discharge. Based on a mathematical model describing the hopping mechanism, modulated by surface and bulk traps, of injected charge carriers, a theoretical explanation of the relationship is provided, the model parameters being determined by a fitting procedure. The transport parameters obtained, as charge carrier mobility, hopping distance, trap concentration, trap depth and attempt-to-escape frequency, are discussed.