Proceedings of 2005 International Symposium on Electrical Insulating
Materials, June 5-9, 2005, Kitakyushu, Japan
Electrical Tree Propagation in Epoxy Resin under Different Characteristics
Rudi Kumianto, Yoshinobu Murakami, Naohiro Hozumi and Masayuki Nagao
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology
Hibarigaoka 1-1. Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, 441-8580, Japan
Abstract
The physical structure of electrical tree propagation
in epoxy resin was studied in a 2-dimensional
geometry. Two steps of tree tests have been carried out.
In the first step we had been using specimens with and
without filler, under humid and dry conditions. As a
second step, specimens with several kinds of filler
contents under room conditions were used. Then, all of
electrical trees propagated were structurally
characterized by determining their fractal dimensions.
In one sense, it is considered that filler would create
such an obstruction to the tree propagation, both in
humid and dry conditions. In room condition, the more
filler content, the more obstruction will be generated,
leading to the suppression of tree propagation. In other
sense, the introduction of filler brought the rise in
fractal dimension due to the increase of branches, both
in humid and dry conditions. Also, fractal dimension in
dry condition were higher than that in humid condition,
for both without and with filler specimens.
Furthermore, in room condition, the more filler
contents, the higher fractal dimension and damaged
area occurred. In this context, the larger fractal
dimension and damaged area mean more branching
pattern but the characteristics are not necessarily
connected with the meaning that a material is easy to
destroy when its fractal dimension and damaged area
are large.
Key words
Epoxy resin, filler, electrical treeing, humidity, fractal
dimension, damaged area.
Introduction
Epoxy resin is widely used as an insulating material
for many electrical apparatuses because of its excellent
electrical and manufacture characteristics. It is usually
mixed with filler to improve mechanical and thermal
characteristics. The epoxy resin is, in some case,
exposed to a severe condition with high humidity,
especially when it is used for insulating material of
outdoor electrical equipment in tropical climate. The
presence of moisture has a profound effect to the
insulation characteristics [2, 4, 5, 7,8].
As it is difficult for conventional counting to
estimate the tree branches [5, 71, fractal dimension is
one of powerful tool to estimate the tree branches
during their growth in polymeric insulations [XI.
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However, these might be difficult to apply in filled
epoxy resin specimen, because the physical presence
of filler disabling the tree image to be observed clearly
when it developed through the filler-resin interfaces.
Although there are many reports discussing the
effect of fillers on the electrical insulating
characteristics in epoxy resin [2, 6 , 91, the relation
between the filler-resin interface and tree propagation
is not yet fully understood.
In this study, in order to characterize the insulating
material dependence on the environmental humidity, it
is necessary to study the relation between
microstructure of these composite materials and the
treeing phenomena during very early stages of growth
using a wide range of filler contents; under humid, dry,
and room conditions. Visualization of tree growth
along the resin-filler interface was realized using a
newly developed leaf-like specimen. The
characterization technique consists of estimating, from
photograph records, the area occupied by a tree within
filled epoxy resin which is disabling to observe are
enhanced using image processing. Thus, the enhanced
tree images are enabled to analyze using box-counting
method of fractal dimension [ 101.
Specimen and Experimental Method
Specimen Preparation
Figure 1 shows the configuration of the specimen.
For the first step of tree test, two types of specimens
were prepared; without fillers, and with fillers whose
content was fixed at 8 phr (part per hundred resins) by
weight ratio. While, for the second step of rree test, we
prepared the specimens with fillers whose contents
were fixed at 5, 10, 15 and 20 phr. The filler has a
round-shape with diameter of about 50pm.
I I ,
Moisture absorption
Fig. 1. Leaf-like specimen configuration
The epoxy resin employed was a blend of Araldite
CY221 and HY2967 as the main resin and hardener,
respectively. After blending the fillers with the epoxy
resin and evacuating for 30 minutes, the compound
was pasted onto the slide glass. The needle electrode,
made of a tungsten wire with 30pm in diameter, was
placed with a gap of 1 mm from the ground electrode.
The needle tip was formed by electroIytic polishing. Its
tip radius and tip angle were 2-5pm and 30 degree.
The cover glass placed on the resin was kept at a
proper distance from the surface of the slide glass
using a film spacer. The specimen was cured for 24
hours at room condition. For tree test under humid
condition, we used the common method of controlling
the humidity accurately by the equilibration of a closed
space with a chemical system, which produces the
desired equilibrium water vapor with saturated salt
solution [l]. The saturated salt solution used was
Potassium Sulfate (K2S04) to fix the relative humidity
(RH) at 97%. We moisturized the specimen in this RH
control cells for 240 hours. For tree test under dry
condition, we dried the specimen in control cell with
RH of 11% which is fixed by silica gel, for about 240
hours prior to voltage application.
Silicon Light source Personal computer
Fig.2. Observation system for tree propagation
Observation of Tree Propagation
The tree observation system for tree inception and
propagation is shown in Fig. 2. An ac ramp voltage (60
Hz, increasing rate: 0.2 kV,/s) was applied to
measure tree inception voltage for all conditions;
humid, dry, and room. Tree inception voltage was
defined as the voltage when the tree length observed
by the CCD camera had exceeded 10 p.As soon as a
tree had been observed, the voltage was retained to
observe the tree propagation, In our experiment, the
tree inception voltage was about 5 .
,
V
k
Fractal Dimension and Damaged Area Determination
The image of tree was taken by recording
equipment, which was consisting of optical microscope,
CCD camera, VTR, and PCITV. The image was then
enhanced by image processing. The fractal dimension
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and damaged area were determined by box-counting
method. It should be noted that the tree differs from
background by color. The procedure of fractal
determination on tree images were by means of proper
color separation (RGB channel, intensity, brightness,
contrast), the masking procedure was made for color
adjustment - white for tree and black for background.
Fractal dimension was given by the slope of function dj.
= (log N ) h g (l/r); where N is the number of
repetitions of the reduced fractal pattern and I/r i s the
ratio of its reduction. Fractal dimension can be
determined by covering its image with boxes (squares)
and then evaluating how many squares are needed to
cover fractal completely. Repeating this measurement
with different sizes of squares will result into
logarithmic function of square size (x-axis) and
number of squares needed to cover fractal (y-axis).
The slope of this function referred as square dimension.
Square dimension is taken as an appropriate
approximation of fractal dimension. Some of masking
processes results is shown in Fig. 3 and 4. Moreover,
we can determine also the damaged area (or mass)
caused by the tree by counting all pixels in the tree
image. The damaged area was the minimum number of
squares required for complete coverage. The resolution
of our image processing gives the connection between
image sizes and studied specimen size being
approximately 1 pixel equivalent to an area of
156.86pm2.
a) Before masking b) After masking
Fig.3. Masking process in without filler specimen
under dry condition
a) Before masking b) AFter masking
Fig.4. Masking process in specimen with filler content
of 2Ophr under room condition
Results and Discussion characteristic of tree was consistent with its fractal
dimension values. In our previous report; the tree
Figure 5 shows the radial extent of tree as a propagation in epoxy-filler interface was accompanied
function of time under dry and humid conditions. The by more branches than that in epoxy resin as shown in
tree propagation of the specimen with filler was Fig.7 [ 5 ] . Thus, fractal dimension has very close
suppressed compared with the specimen without filler, relationship with the number of branch. The
both under dry and humid conditions. The inorganic introduction of filler brought the rise in the fractal
filler would be more resistant against partial discharge dimension due to the increase of branches.
compared with the resin. Therefore, it is considered
that fillers would create such an obstruction to the tree 700 -
with-filler
propagation, and prevent tree from growing straight.
Moreover, the difference between dielectric constant
of the filler and epoxy resin would help branching
accompanied by Maxwell stress, etc., leading to the
imperfect adhesion at the interface. Even though the
introduction of humid condition would bring moisture
that promoted tree propagation, it seems that the filler
still suppresses tree propagation even if the specimen
contained moisture.

0 50 100 150 200 250

Tree length (p)
Fig.7. Relation between tree length and number of
tree branches [ 5 ]

In another case, the number of tree branches in

moisturized condition was smaller than that in the
non-moisturized condition as shown in Fig.7 [ 5 ] ,
which coincides with the result shown in Fig. 6. In dry
conditions, the large number of tiny tree branches
exists in the epoxy resin part would bring the high
0 10 20 30 40 SO 60 70 BO
fractal dimension in without-filler specimen. Also
Time (seconds) the large number of tree branches at the epoxy-filler
Fig.5. The tree radial extent vs. time in epoxy resin interface would bring the higher fractal dimension in
under dry and humid conditions with-filler specimen. In humid conditions, the tree
branches would be prevented, leading to the less
fractal dimension compared to that in dry condition.
The radial extent of tree as a function of time with
various contents of fillers under room condition is
shown in Fig.8. The higher filler content will generate
the more obstruction to produce the more branching
tree; it may lead to the more significant suppression of
tree propagation.

0 50 loo 150 200 250

TIU radial cdmt (pm)

Fig.6. Fractal dimension vs. tree radial extent

in epoxy resin under dry and humid conditions

Figure 6 shows the increasing tendency of fractal

dimension as tree radial extent increased. When silica
fillers had been introduced, the curve was shifted up
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
both in humid and d q conditions. In another case,
Time (Seconds)
when humid condition had been introduced, the curve
was shifted down both in without and with-filler Fig.8. The tree radial extent vs. time in epoxy resin
specimens. It is suggested that the propagation with various contents of fillers

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 The radial extent of tree which was characterized
by determining their fractal dimension in room
condition is shown in Fig.9. The higher filler contents
would bring the larger number of tree branches at the
epoxy-filler interface, leading to a tree structure of
higher fractal dimension. According to our observation
shown in Fig. 6 and 9 the physical shape of treeing
like has a fractal dimension of about (d, = 1.UI -
1.24): while branching like shape has a fractal
-
dimension of about (df= 1.24 1.72). The higher
filler content brought the faster change in tree shape
from treeing-like to branching-like shape.
[ -0-20phr
1 -A-l5phr
-0-IOphr
humid condition promoted tree propagation, it
seems that filler still suppresses tree propagation.
The more filler content, the more obstruction will
be generated, leading to the significant
suppression of tree propagation.
2. The propagation characteristic of tree was
consistent with its fractal dimension. As fractal
dimension has very close relationship with the
number of branches, the introduction of filler
brought the rise in the fractal dimension and
damaged area due to the increase of branches. The
more filler content, the more fractal dimension and
damaged area occurred.
3. Fractal dimension in dry condition were higher
than that in humid condition, for both without and
with filler specimens.

References

[l]Greenspan L, Humidity fixed points of binary

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0 SO 100 I50 200 250 300 [ZIKamer H C and Ieda M, Technical aspects of
Tree Radial Extent (pm) interfacial phenomena in solid insulating system,
Proceeding of the 3 ICPADM, Tohyo, Japan.
Fig.9. Fractal dimension vs. tree radial extent in epoxy pp.592-597, 1991.
resin with various contents of filters [3]K. Fukushi et al, Trans. IEEJ, Vo1.97-A, No.9,
pp.33-36, 1977.
80 -0-20 phr [4]Malik N H, AI-Arainy A A and Qureshi M
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4 [5]M. Nagao, K. Oda. K. Nishioka, Y. Muramoto & N.
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4Q
Hozumi, Effect of filler on treeing phenomenon in
E epoxy resin under ac voltage, Proceedings of
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10 [6]M.Ruike et al, TransIEEJ, Vol.l16-A, No.7, pp.
0 599-603, 1996.
0 50 100 IS0 2W 250 300 [7]R. Kurnianto et.al, Effect of humidity on treeing
Tree radial extent (pm) phenomenon in filled epoxy resin under ac voltage,
Nutionni Convention of I E U , No.2-020, p.26,
Fig.10. Relationship between damage area of tree and 2004.
tree radial extent. over various contents of fillers
[SIR. Kumianto, et al, Fractal dimension on electrical
tree images in epoxy resin under different
Figure 10 shows the increment in damaged area of
characteristic, Tokai-Section Joint Conference of
tree as a function of tree radial extent over various
the Eight Institutes of Electrical and Related
contents of fillers. The relationship illustrates the
engineers, no. 0-07828,2004.
significant change of character that the tree displays as
[9]Y. Kitamura et al, Truns.LE.E.J,Vol.l06-A, No.11,
it develops. A large amount of damaged area reflects
pp.9-14, 1986.
the large increase in tree branch density. In this resin
[ l0]htt~://www.fch.vutbr.cz/lectures/im~esc~arfa.html
the highest proportion of the damaged area is seen with
filler content of 20 phr in comparison with the tree
Author address: Rudi Kumianto
g o w n with filler content of 5, 10, and 15 phr.
Nagao & Hozumi Laboratory, Dept. of Electrical &
Electronic Eng., Toyohashi University of Technology,
Conclusion
Hibarigaoka 1- 1. Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, 441-8580
Japan, TEL:+8 1-532-44-6587,FAX:+8 1-532-44-6757,
I. Filler would create such an obstruction to the tree
Email: rudi@boss.eee.tut.ac.jp
propagation. Even though the introduction of

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