Reality of dielectric materials in special environment with radiation and others

In this report, the results of investigation by the expert committee on the title problem in the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan from April, 1989 to March, 1992 are summarized. The objectives were to collect the data on the deterioration of dielectric and insulation materials in the special environment including radiation, to investigate the deterioration mechanism, and to grasp the state of development of the materials which can withstand special environment. The actual conditions of temperature, humidity and radiation in nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, spaceships, accelerator facilities and nuclear fusion experiment facilities are reported. As the new materials which can withstand special environment, the properties of aromatic engineering plastics such as polyimide, PEEK and others, no-halogen incombustible materials, thermoplastic polyurethane, ethylene propylene rubber, cross-linked polyethylene, ceramics, high temperature superconductors, fiber-reinforced composite materials, silica glass and quartz optical fibers are shown. The factors of material deterioration, the method of forecasting lifetime and the examples are explained. The new methods of measuring material properties such as ion microprobe, positron annihilation, scanning tunnel microscopes, optical detection magnetic resonance and so on are explained. (K.I.)