On the electrostrictive mechanism of nanosecond-pulsed breakdown in liquid phase

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Vol. 46; no. 16; pp. 162001 - 1-6
• Main Authors: Seepersad, Yohan, Pekker, Mikhail, Shneider, Mikhail N, Dobrynin, Danil, Fridman, Alexander
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 24.04.2013; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Dielectric constant; Dielectric properties of solids and liquids; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Electrodes; Electrostriction; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; High-pressure and shock-wave effects in solids and liquids; Liquid phases; Mechanical and acoustical properties of condensed matter; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Permittivity (dielectric function); Physics; Piezoelectricity and electromechanical effects; Liquid state; Shock waves; Wave propagation; Electric field effects; High field; Modelling; Nanostructures; Electrostriction; Permittivity; Sound velocity
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/46/16/162001

In this study we have studied the initial stage of the nanosecond-pulsed discharge development in liquid phase. Modelling predicts that in the case of fast rising strong nonhomogeneous electric fields in the vicinity of high-voltage pin electrode a region saturated with nanoscale non-uniformities may be developed. This phenomenon is attributed to the electrostriction mechanisms and may be used to explain development of breakdown in liquid phase. In this work, schlieren method was used in order to demonstrate formation of negative pressure region in liquids with different dielectric permittivity constants: water, ethanol and ethanol-water mixture. It is shown that this density perturbation, formed at the raising edge of the high-voltage pulse, is followed by a generation of a shock wave propagating with the speed of sound away from the electrode, with negative pressure behind it.