Electrical condition monitoring method for polymers

Patent · Tue Feb 16 04:00:00 EST 2010

OSTI ID:1015200

Watkins, Jr Kenneth S. ^[1]; Morris, Shelby J ^[2]; Masakowski, Daniel D ^[3]; Wong, Ching Ping ^[4]; Luo, Shijian ^[5]

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1. Dahlonega, GA
2. Hampton, VA
3. Worcester, MA
4. Duluth, GA
5. Boise, ID

An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of a conductive composite degradation sensor to monitor environmentally induced degradation of a polymeric product such as insulated wire and cable. The degradation sensor comprises a polymeric matrix and conductive filler. The polymeric matrix may be a polymer used in the product, or it may be a polymer with degradation properties similar to that of a polymer used in the product. The method comprises a means for communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and a means to correlate resistivity of the degradation sensor with environmentally induced degradation of the product.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Assignee: OSTI
• Patent Number(s): 7,663,381
• Application Number: 12/082,161
• OSTI ID: 1015200
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English