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Dielectric Materials

Breakdown



When a dielectric material is exposed to a large electrical field, it may undergo a process known as breakdown. In that process, the material suddenly becomes conducting, and a large current begins to flow across the material. The appearance of a spark may also accompany breakdown. The point at which breakdown occurs with any given material depends on a number of factors, including temperature, the geometric shape of the material, and the type of material surrounding the dielectric. The ability of a dielectric material to resist breakdown is called its intrinsic electric strength.



Breakdown is often associated with the degradation of a dielectric material. The material may oxidize, physically break apart, or degrade in some other way that will make conductance more likely. When breakdown does occur, then, it is often accompanied by further degradation of the material.

Resources

Books

Scaife, B.K. Principles of Dielectrics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Periodicals

Gridnev, S. A. "Electric Relaxation In Disordered Polar Dielectrics." Ferroelectrics 266, no. 1 (2002): 171-209.


David E. Newton

KEY TERMS

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Amplifier

—A device for increasing the amount of electrical current in a system.

Capacitor

—A device for receiving and storing an electrical charge, consisting of two parallel conducting surfaces separated by a dielectric material.

Conductivity

—The tendency of a substance to allow the passage of an electrical current.

Polymer

—A chemical compound formed by the combination of many smaller units.

Rectifier

—A device that converts alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC).

Transducer

—A device for converting energy from one form to another.

Additional topics

Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Dependency - The Intellectual Roots Of Dependency Thinking to Dirac equationDielectric Materials - The Dielectric Constant, Uses, Synthetic Dielectrics, Breakdown