Characterization of polyethylene cable insulation by chemiluminescence measurements. I. Method development

Chemiluminescence (CL) measurements have been performed on polyethylene electrical cable insulation. Matched pairs of unaged and aged materials were used where possible. The polyethylene materials investigated included crosslinked polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and ethylene‐propylene rubber. Various experimental techniques were examined to see if any distinctions could be made between unaged and aged samples. Chemiluminescence spectra were obtained for the first time for these materials. The spectra show differences between materials and also between unaged and aged samples.