Dielectric Materials - The Dielectric Constant, Uses, Synthetic Dielectrics, Breakdown
electrical conductivity liquids solids
Dielectric materials are substances that have very low conductivity. That is, they are electrical insulators through which an electrical current flows only with the greatest of difficulty. Technically, a dielectric can be defined as a material with electrical conductivity of less than one millionth of a mho (a unit of electrical conductance) per centimeter.
In theory, dielectrics can include solids, liquids, and gases, although in practice only the first two of these three states of matter have any practical significance. Some of the most commonly used dielectrics are various kinds of rubber, glass, wood, and polymers among the solids; and hydrocarbon oils and silicone oils among the liquids.
Additional Topics
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, th…
Citing this material
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments