ELECTRICAL-CONDUCTION IN POLYETHERIMIDE

Electrical conduction characteristics in polyetherimide (PEI) have bee n investigated at electric fields of 0.9-27 MV/m over temperatures of 50-100 degrees C. It is found that the current density of PEI increase s with the increase of electric field and temperature and that its con duction is governed by the thermally activated ion hopping process. Th e hopping distance of ions in the PEI decreases from 5.69 nm at 50 deg rees C to 3.34 nm at 100 degrees C due to the increase of chain motion with the increase of temperature. The activation energy for the elect rical conduction is 0.74 eV. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.