Some Aspects of Using Polymer Materials in Electrical Engineering

Abstract Polymer materials are an integral part of our life, and in recent decades they have found an increasing number of applications in electrical engineering. They are used not only as insulators, protective materials and flexible substrates, but also as electrically conductive materials for instance in batteries, capacitors, sensing systems and photovoltaics. These materials are light, low-cost, and easy to manufacture. Their properties can be tailored according to the demands of the particular application. The drawback of polymeric materials, especially petroleum-based plastics, is their impact on the environment due to difficult and/or costly recycling. A possible solution to this problem could be replacing conventional plastics with biodegradable polymer materials obtained from nature like proteins and polysaccharides or synthesised from biological products like poly(lactic acid) or from petroleum like poly(butyleneadipate-co terephthalate). This paper provides an overview of the most commonly used conventional polymeric materials and their potential biodegradable substitutes used in electrotechnical applications.