Development of a novel PPTA/cellulose composite insulation paper with low dielectric constant and improved mechanical properties by BTCA crosslinking

This study investigates the effect of 1,2,3,4-butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) crosslinking treatment on the electrical properties of poly-p-phenylene terephthalate (PPTA)/cellulose insulation paper to prepare a novel composite insulation paper with low dielectric constant and good electrical performance. Three-layer PPTA/cellulose composite paper crosslinked by BTCA under various conditions, composite paper without crosslinking, directly mixed composite paper, and conventional Kraft paper are prepared. The morphology and surface chemical composition of the paper samples are characterized. Dielectric, mechanical, and thermal properties are investigated. Results show that the BTCA concentration of 0.2 mol L-1 with a 180 degrees C curing temperature is the relatively superior crosslinking condition to prepare a novel composite with low dielectric constant and good comprehensive performance. The dielectric constant and loss of the novel composite paper decrease to 3.21 and 0.392 at 50 Hz. The tensile strength of the BTCA crosslinked three-layer PPTA/cellulose composite paper (thickness: 130 mu m) has reached 10.01 kN m(-1), increased by 41.6% than the directly mixed composite paper. The novel BTCA crosslinked composite paper also shows improved thermal stability. The BTCA crosslinking proves to be a promising method to improve the dielectric properties and electrical performance of the PPTA/cellulose composite paper.