Electrical tree properties of grafted polypropylene studied by electro-luminescence and free radical excitation analysis

The electrical tree in grafted polypropylene (PP) is inhibited compared with that of pure PP. To understand the free radicals that are generated during the treeing process, we study the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. Additionally, to provide a clearer explanation of the suppression of electrical trees, this research uses electroluminescence (EL) and excitation computation. These methods help us to observe the movement of electrons and to understand the geometric and electronic structures involved. In pure PP, the energy required to excite the electrons is approximately the same as the band gap of PP while electrons are easier to be excited in grafted PP than in pure PP, because the band gap is narrower. As a result, though the electrical tree length is shorter in PP-g-MMA, the EPR signal is more intense because of the uneven distribution of electrons.