The association between ion-ion interaction in solution and water tree degradation of polymeric electrical insulation

Abstract

For aqueous solutions, the relation between ion-ion interaction the ionic activity coefficient and the rate of water tree development is considered. It is argued that a decrease in the activity coefficient may lead to a decrease in tree growth. Experimental results with 0.1 M solutions of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, MnCl2, and FeCl3 show agreement with the proposed model. However, results with 0.5 M solutions show that the controlling influence of ion-ion interactions may be offset by the obstructive presence of hydration sheaths.