Conductivity of carbon black-PE composites as a function of temperature and UV aging

We performed a study of mechanisms related to ac electrical conductivity of virgin and aged low-density polyethylene (LDPE) loaded with different conc entrations of carbon black (CB). Experimental ac conductivity measurements were carried out at different temperatures on samples with different CB con centrations. Scanning calorimetry (Dsc) and thermal expansion measurements were used as auxiliary techniques in this study. We also investigated the a ging effect of vv radiation on the electrical properties of the samples. Ba sed on the distribution of the ce in the polyethylene matrix, the ac conduc tivity is explained in terms of the hopping mechanism considering the mater ial as a system where the energy potential barriers are distributed randoml y in the bulk of the material.