Role of a 3D Nanoskeleton in Hindering Electrical Tree Growth in Nanocomposites: Insights from in Situ Self-Fluorescence Imaging.

Despite the proposal of nanodielectrics in 1994, the impact of nano- and microstructures on composite performance is still not completely understood. A key reason for this knowledge gap is the lack of in situ characterization of micro- and nanoscale structures within materials. In this study, we observed the self-excited fluorescence of a microscale-damaged microchannel inside a composite under the influence of an electric field. Furthermore, we conducted in situ imaging of the internal microstructures and discharge channels in the composite utilizing external laser excitation. The imaging results reveal that the electrical treelike damage in the composites grows with a single channel under the guidance of the nanoskeleton embedded in the matrix, which demonstrates that the three-dimensional (3D) nano-order skeleton hinders the development of electrical trees. Furthermore, we analyzed the nanoskeleton intervention's enhancement mechanism on the insulation properties of the composites. This work aids in the precision imaging-guided structural design of nanodielectrics.