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Plastics & Elastomers

Dielectric Strength
1. What is dielectric strength?
2. What are the units of dielectric
strength?
3. Which materials show good dielec‐
tric strength?
4. What are the applications of dielec‐
tric strength?
1
5. What parameters influence the di‐
electric strength of plastics?
6. What factors affect the dielectric strength?
7. What standard tests calculate the dielectric strength?
8. What methods are used to measure the dielectric strength?
9. What are the dielectric strength values of several plastics?

What is dielectric strength?

Dielectric strength reflects the electric strength of insulating materials at various power frequencies. It measures
the dielectric breakdown resistance under an applied voltage. It is an indicator of how good a material is as an
insulator.

What are the units of dielectric strength?

Dielectric strength is expressed as volts per unit thickness. The SI unit for dielectric strength is:

Dielectric strength = V/m

where,
V is the voltage and
m is the thickness per unit

The higher the value, the more insulating a material is. Back to Top
Which materials show good dielectric strength?
1. Thermoplastics with Good Dielectric Strength - View All Products
2. Rubbers with Good Dielectric Strength - View All Products
3. Thermosets with Good Dielectric Strength - View All Products

Note: Most plastics have a good dielectric strength in the order of 100 to 300 kV/cm.

What are the applications of di‐

electric strength?
Dielectric strength finds applications in the electrical industry.
These include:

Development of materials for energy storage,

1 Dielectric materials for capacitors, and
Thin films in high-speed digital circuitry.

What parameters influence the dielectric strength of

plastics?
The dielectric strength of plastics depends on:

The type of plastic and electrodes,

The shape of the plastic and electrodes,
The rate with which the field is increased, and
The medium that surrounds the insulator.

What factors affect the dielectric strength?

Temperature

An increase in temperature causes the dielectric strength of an insulation material to decrease.

Thus, it is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature.

Back to Top
 Weibull Characteristic Breakdown Strength vs Temperature for Polymers
Source: ResearchGate
1
Note: Below room temperature, dielectric strength is independent of temperature change.

Mechanical loading

Mechanical stress can cause internal flaws that act as leakage paths.
This causes a decrease in the dielectric strength of loaded insulators.

Details of fabrication

Flow lines in compression molding or weld lines in an injection molding may serve as paths of least resis‐
tance of leakage currents. This reduces the dielectric strength.
Even nearly invisible minute flaws in a plastics insulator may reduce the dielectric strength. It can be reduced
to one-third of this normal value.

What standard tests calculate the dielectric strength?

The most generally used standard tests to calculate dielectric strength are:

ASTM D149-20: It is a standard test method used to measure the dielectric breakdown voltage. It also mea‐
sures the dielectric strength of insulating materials. For example, electrical cables, wires, etc.

IEC 60243-1:2013: It is used to measure the dielectric strength of solid insulating materials. For example,
plastics, rubbers, etc.
Back to Top
What methods are used to measure the dielectric
strength?
The measurement of dielectric strength is
usually carried out by the:

Short-time method
Slow rate-of-rise method
Step-by-step method

Short-time method

In this method, the voltage is applied across the two electrodes. Voltage is then increased at a uniform rate (500
V/sec) until the breakdown occurs.

Slow rate-of-rise method

1
In this test method, the voltage is applied to the test electrodes. Starting voltage from 50% of the breakdown volt‐
age until breakdown occurs.

Step-by-step method

The voltage is applied to the test electrodes at the preferred starting voltage in steps and duration until breakdown
occurs.

Note: The recommended specimen type is a 4-inch plaque or larger. Any specimen thickness can be used.

What are the dielectric strength values of several

plastics?
Click to find polymer you are looking for:
A-C     |      E-M     |      PA-PC     |      PE-PL     |      PM-PP     |      PS-X

Polymer Name Min Value (kV/mm) Max Value (kV/mm)

ABS - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene 15.70 34.00

ABS Flame Retardant 24.00 35.40

ABS High Heat 12.00 20.00

ABS High Impact 12.00 20.00

ABS/PC Blend - Acrylonitrile Butadiene
15.00 70.00
Styrene/Polycarbonate Blend Back to Top
ABS/PC Blend 20% Glass Fiber 29.90 30.00
Amorphous TPI Blend, Ultra-high heat, Chemical
54.00 54.00
Resistant (Standard Flow)
Amorphous TPI, Moderate Heat, Transparent 17.00 17.00
Amorphous TPI, Moderate Heat, Transparent
17.00 17.00
(Food Contact Approved)
Amorphous TPI, Moderate Heat, Transparent
14.00 14.00
(Mold Release grade)
Amorphous TPI, Moderate Heat, Transparent
17.00 17.00
(Powder form)
ASA - Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate 40.00 105.00
ASA/PC Blend - Acrylonitrile Styrene
80.00 95.00
Acrylate/Polycarbonate Blend
ASA/PC Flame Retardant 90.00 90.00

CA - Cellulose Acetate 8.00 15.00

CAB - Cellulose Acetate Butyrate 10.00 16.00

1
CP - Cellulose Proprionate 12.00 18.00

CPVC - Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride 50.00 60.00

ECTFE - Ethylene ChloroTriFluoroEthylene 14.00 14.00

ETFE - Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene 7.870 7.870

EVA - Ethylene Vinyl Acetate 27.00 28.00

FEP - Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene 22.00 79.00

HDPE - High Density Polyethylene 17.00 24.00

HIPS - High Impact Polystyrene 12.00 24.00

HIPS Flame Retardant V0 33.00 35.00

Ionomer (Ethylene-Methyl Acrylate Copolymer) 40.00 40.00

LCP - Liquid Crystal Polymer 32.00 39.00

LCP Glass Fiber-reinforced 22.00 30.00

LCP Mineral-filled 26.00 35.00

LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene 16.00 28.00

MABS - Transparent Acrylonitrile Butadiene
34.00 37.00
Styrene
PA 11 - (Polyamide 11) 30% Glass fiber reinforced 40.00 40.00

PA 11, Conductive 24.00 55.00

PA 11, Flexible 24.00 55.00

Back to Top
PA 11, Rigid 24.00 55.00
PA 12 (Polyamide 12), Conductive 24.00 55.00

PA 12, Fiber-reinforced 24.00 55.00

PA 12, Flexible 24.00 55.00

PA 12, Glass Filled 24.00 55.00

PA 12, Rigid 24.00 55.00

PA 46 - Polyamide 46 15.00 25.00

PA 46, 30% Glass Fiber 25.00 35.00

PA 6 - Polyamide 6 10.00 20.00

PA 6-10 - Polyamide 6-10 16.00 26.00

PA 66 - Polyamide 6-6 20.00 30.00

PA 66, 30% Glass Fiber 25.00 25.00

PA 66, 30% Mineral filled 25.00 30.00

PA 66, Impact Modified, 15-30% Glass Fiber 11.80 21.00

1
PA 66, Impact Modified 18.00 90.00

PA 66, Carbon Fiber, Long, 30% Filler by Weight 1.300 1.300

PAI - Polyamide-Imide 23.60 24.00

PAI, 30% Glass Fiber 27.60 34.00

PAR - Polyarylate 17.00 17.00

PARA (Polyarylamide), 30-60% glass fiber 23.70 30.00

PBT - Polybutylene Terephthalate 15.00 30.00

PBT, 30% Glass Fiber 50.00 50.00

PC (Polycarbonate) 20-40% Glass Fiber 20.00 20.00

PC (Polycarbonate) 20-40% Glass Fiber Flame
17.00 38.00
Retardant
PC - Polycarbonate, high heat 16.00 35.00

PCTFE - Polymonochlorotrifluoroethylene 21.00 24.00

PE - Polyethylene 30% Glass Fiber 19.70 19.70

PEEK - Polyetheretherketone 20.00 20.00

PEEK 30% Carbon Fiber-reinforced 18.50 19.00

PEEK 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 15.00 24.00

PEI - Polyetherimide 28.00 33.00

PEI, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 25.00 30.00

Back to Top
PEI, Mineral Filled 20.00 25.00
PEKK (Polyetherketoneketone), Low Cristallinity
23.60 23.60
Grade
PESU - Polyethersulfone 16.00 80.00

PESU 10-30% glass fiber 14.60 40.00

PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate 60.00 60.00

PET, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 16.80 22.50

PETG - Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol 45.00 45.00

PFA - Perfluoroalkoxy 2.100 2.200

PGA - Polyglycolides 34.00 80.00

PI - Polyimide 22.00 27.60

PMMA - Polymethylmethacrylate/Acrylic 15.00 22.00

PMMA (Acrylic) High Heat 18.70 20.00

PMMA (Acrylic) Impact Modified 15.00 60.00

PMP
1 - Polymethylpentene 28.00 30.00

PMP 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 23.60 23.60

PMP Mineral Filled 23.60 23.60

POM - Polyoxymethylene (Acetal) 13.80 20.00

POM (Acetal) Impact Modified 19.00 19.00

POM (Acetal) Low Friction 16.00 16.00

PP - Polypropylene 10-20% Glass Fiber 30.00 45.00

PP, 10-40% Mineral Filled 30.00 70.00

PP, 10-40% Talc Filled 30.00 70.00

PP, 30-40% Glass Fiber-reinforced 30.00 45.00

PP (Polypropylene) Copolymer 20.00 28.00

PP (Polypropylene) Homopolymer 20.00 28.00

PP, Impact Modified 20.00 28.00

PPA - Polyphthalamide 20.80 20.90

PPA, 30% Mineral-filled 20.00 22.00

PPA, 33% Glass Fiber-reinforced 20.00 22.00

PPA, 33% Glass Fiber-reinforced – High Flow 18.00 20.00

PPA, 45% Glass Fiber-reinforced 22.00 24.00

PPE - Polyphenylene Ether 20.00 22.00

Back to Top
PPE, 30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 22.00 22.00
 PPE, Flame Retardant 16.00 25.00

PPE, Impact Modified 1.000 1.100

PPS - Polyphenylene Sulfide 11.00 24.00

PPS, 20-30% Glass Fiber-reinforced 13.80 17.00

PPS, 40% Glass Fiber-reinforced 17.00 17.00

PPS, Glass fiber & Mineral-filled 13.00 13.00

PPSU - Polyphenylene Sulfone 14.20 20.00

PS (Polystyrene) 30% glass fiber 15.00 19.70

PS (Polystyrene) Crystal 16.00 28.00

PSU - Polysulfone 15.00 10.00

PSU, 30% Glass finer-reinforced 16.90 40.00

PTFE - Polytetrafluoroethylene 17.00 24.00

PTFE, 25% Glass Fiber-reinforced 20.00 20.00

1
PVC, Plasticized 10.00 30.00

PVC, Plasticized Filled 10.00 30.00

PVC Rigid 10.00 40.00

PVDF - Polyvinylidene Fluoride 10.00 27.00

SAN - Styrene Acrylonitrile 12.00 24.00

SAN, 20% Glass Fiber-reinforced 19.70 20.00

SMA - Styrene Maleic Anhydride 16.00 16.00

SMA, 20% Glass Fiber-reinforced 21.00 21.00

SMMA - Styrene Methyl Methacrylate 19.70 19.70

UHMWPE - Ultra High Molecular Weight
28.00 28.00
Polyethylene

Disclaimer: all data and information obtained via the Polymer Selector including but not limited to material suit‐
ability, material properties, performances, characteristics and cost are given for information purpose only.
Although the data and information contained in the Polymer Selector are believed to be accurate and correspond
to the best of our knowledge, they are provided without implied warranty of any kind. Data and information con‐
tained in the Polymer Selector are intended for guidance in a polymer selection process and should not be consid‐
ered as binding specifications. The determination of the suitability of this information for any particular use is
solely the responsibility of the user. Before working with any material, users should contact material suppliers in
order to receive specific, complete and detailed information about the material they are considering. Part of the
data and information contained in the Polymer Selector are genericised based on commercial literature provided
by polymer suppliers and other parts are coming from assessments of our experts.

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