Influence of Antistatic Agent on Electrical Conduction of Polyethylene

The doping of an antistatic agent (As-1) into high-density polyethylene (HD-PE) strongly enhanced the charging currents and the thermally stimulated currents (TSC). Doped HD-PE showed a charging current peak due to the transient SCLC (space-charge-limited-current) and also the anomalous TSC flowing in the same direction as the charging current. These suggest an important contribution to the electrical conduction of the carrier injection from the electrode. The charging current and the TSC in a two-layer (doped/undoped) specimen revealed that the electron injection from the cathode was dominant in doped HD-PE. The enhancement of electron injection is explained in terms of localized levels originating from As-1.