Dynamically Cross-linked Polyethylene

Wide-Temp Insulation

A dynamically cross-linked polyethylene prepared via a byproduct-free thiol-anhydride click reaction, whose reversible thioester bonds simultaneously suppress space charge and stabilize conductivity over a wide temperature range, outperforming commercial XLPE while being recyclable and repairable.

Zhang, Zhuolin · Haoran, Sui · Zelin, Zhang · Kaiying, Chang · Wu, Youshen · Gao, Jian · Yang, Kai · Zhao, Peng · Ouyang, Benhong · Li, Jianying · Wu, Kangning

Polymer 2026

Specifications

Conductivity reduction (30 °C)

{'zh': '47', 'en': '47'} %

Conductivity reduction (90 °C)

{'zh': '93', 'en': '93'} %

Activation energy for conduction

{'zh': '0.27', 'en': '0.27'} eV

Space charge accumulation suppression

{'zh': '94', 'en': '94'} %

Electric field distortion

{'zh': '5', 'en': '5'} %

Advantages

Greatly reduced high-temp conductivity

Reversible thioester bonds act as thermally robust polar traps, capturing charge carriers effectively at high temperature, reducing conductivity by 93% at 90 °C.

Significant space charge suppression

The optimized sample suppresses space charge accumulation by 94% and maintains electric field distortion below 5% at 90 °C, approaching a uniform field.

Recyclable and reprocessable

Dynamic thioester bonds impart reversibility to the network, making the material recyclable and repairable, reducing waste.

Applications

• HVDC cables：Used as insulation layer for HVDC cables to improve wide-temperature operational stability.
• High-performance insulation：Replaces commercial XLPE to achieve lower conductivity and space charge.
• Renewable energy transmission：Ensures efficient long-distance transmission of large-scale renewable energy.
• Recyclable insulation：Can be recycled and reprocessed after use, reducing insulation waste.