Topic: Electrical Properties

Electronic Properties of Solids

Magnetic Properties
Optical Properties
Thermal Properties

Conductors
The material through which negative charge can move freely is known as conductor.
Example: Iron rod, Human Body etc.
Insulators
The material through which none of the charge can move freely is known as insulator.
Example: Glass, Plastic etc.
Capacitor
Capacitor is device by which potential energy in an electric field can be stored.
The capacitor is denoted by the symbol ().
When a capacitor is charged, its plates have equal but opposite charges of + q and q.
However, the charge of a capacitor is referred as q (the absolute value of these charges
on the plates). q is not the net charge on the capacitor, which is zero.
Capacitance
The charge q and the potential difference V for a capacitor are proportional to each
other; that is,

q=CV
or, C = q/V
The proportionality constant C is called the capacitance of the capacitor. Its value
depends only on the geometry of the plates.
1
Copyright Mohammad Tamim Kibria Chowdhury, SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY

Di-electric Constant
Di-electric Constant (r) can be defined as the ratio between permittivity of a material ()
and permittivity of vacuum (o).

r = / o
The permittivity, , of a material may be defined either in terms of the capacitance, C, of
a condenser with the material between parallel plates of area A and separation d, or in
terms of the Force F between two charges Q1 and Q2 at a distance r in the material.
Expressed in SI units, the relations contain no arbitrary numerical factors and are:
C = A/d
or,

= C d/A ............................... 1
F = Q1Q2/4 o r2

or,

o = Q1Q2/4 F r2 .................... 2

Measurement of Di-electric Constant

Principle
To measure di-electric properties the material (i.e. textile fibre) must be placed between
the plates of a condenser and the impedance measured.
Method
The method of measuring impedance depends on the frequency being used for the test.
Generally impedance can be measured in two methods
Schering Bridge Method
Resonance Method

2
Copyright Mohammad Tamim Kibria Chowdhury, SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY

Factors affecting Di-electric Constant

Frequency

Frequency has a most important influence on di-electric properties. At low frequency, the
permittivity is high. When the frequency becomes high the permittivity will decrease.

Fibres

Different fibres shows different characteristics of di-electric constant at different

frequencies.

Temperature

A rise in temperature causes an increase in permittivity. The effect of temperature and

frequency are often similar.

Moisture

Moisture Content affects the di-electric property.

In cellulosic fibres, at higher frequencies, permittivity remains consistent of in increase in
moisture content. But at a lower frequencies permittivity increases as moisture content of
fibre increases.
In case of wool the absorbed molecules of water are tightly held by polymer system and
they cannot line up in the field. So the permittivity of the wool is lower.
In case of non absorbent fibres (Dacron), permittivity remains constant in increase of
moisture.

Direction of Electric Fields

Due to the change of direction of applied electric field the permittivity of an isotropic
material changes. Some examples are given below:

Fibre
Cotton
Wool
Rayon

Permeability
When electric field is When electric field is
parallel to the fibre axis.
perpendicular to fibre axis.
2.5
2.34
2.19
2.16
2.37
2.31

3
Copyright Mohammad Tamim Kibria Chowdhury, SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY

Impurities

The presence of impurities in the fibre affects the di-electric properties. Particularly, ionic
impurities have a considerable effect at low frequencies. In the table below it is shown
that, the removal of surface dressing from fibres by extraction in methanol and benzene
has altered their permittivity.
Fibre

Relative Permittivity

Nylon
2.34
Acrylic
2.00
Polyester
3.94
At 65% RH and 1KHZ frequency

Relative
(Extracted)
2.43
1.94
1.66

Permittivity

4
Copyright Mohammad Tamim Kibria Chowdhury, SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY