Surface flashover is a devastating electronic avalanche along the gas–solid interface when a high electric field is applied, which is a potential issue that threatens the safe operations of advanced power electronic, electrical, and spacecraft applications. However, the underlying physical mechanisms for surface flashover development are still under investigation owing to the complex charge transport processes through the gas phase, solid phase, and gas–solid interface. In this study, the history of surface flashover theory in the last 50 years is introduced, and several key questions are reviewed from the perspective of the competing mechanisms of charge transport: the role of each phase in a surface flashover, the origin of surface charging, and effects of traps in solid on surface flashover. Then, some suggestions involve charge transport processes in each phase, and their correlations are put forward, and a predictable ‘charge transport competitive flashover model’ is proposed by clarifying the competing mechanisms of charge transport processes through multiple phases. This study summarises the history and hot topics of physical mechanisms of surface flashover proposed based on classic and recent progress and offers promising routes for developing a more precise surface flashover theory and improving surface flashover performances.

Surface flashover is a gas–solid interface insulation failure that significantly jeopardises the secure operation of advanced electronic, electrical, and spacecraft applications. Despite the widespread application of numerous material modification and structure optimisation technologies aimed at enhancing surface flashover performance, the influence mechanisms of the present technologies have yet to be systematically discussed and summarised. This review aims to introduce various material modification technologies while demonstrating their influence mechanisms on flashover performances by establishing relationships among ‘microscopic structure‐mesoscopic charge transport‐macroscopic insulation failure’. Moreover, it elucidates the effects of chemical structure on surface trap parameters and surface charge transport concerning flashover performance. The review categorises and presents structure optimisation technologies that govern electric field distribution. All identified technologies highlight that achieving a uniform tangential electric field and reducing the normal electric field can effectively enhance flashover performance. Finally, this review proposes recommendations encompassing mathematical, chemical, evaluation, and manufacturing technologies. This systematic summary of current technologies, their influence mechanisms, and associated advantages and disadvantages in improving surface insulation performance is anticipated to be a pivotal component in flashover and future dielectric theory.

In dielectric science, the electrical breakdown strength of a polymeric material significantly decreases with elevated temperatures, which restricts the development of advanced electrical and electronic applications toward miniaturization. In the present study, to clarify the temperature-dependent DC breakdown mechanisms of epoxy resin (EP)/TiO₂ nanocomposites, the effects of nanoparticle incorporation and temperature on charge transport and molecular chain dynamics were studied. The results indicate that space charge accumulation and electric field distortion are reduced by nanoparticle incorporation to enhance the deep trap level, while space charge accumulation, electric field distortion, and molecular displacement are all accelerated as temperature increases. To further investigate the influence of carrier traps and molecular chain dynamics on temperature-dependent breakdown, a DC breakdown simulation model that involves bipolar charge transport, molecular chain dynamics, and breakdown criterion equations is established. The calculated breakdown strengths of EP/TiO₂ nanocomposites show great accordance with the experimental results, which indicates that temperature-dependent DC breakdown mechanisms are dominated by the synergetic effects of carrier traps and segment chain dynamics. Through the analysis of the breakdown model, a transition of the dominant mechanism (from segment chain to backbone dynamics) near the glass-transition temperature for DC breakdown of EP/TiO₂ nanocomposites is discovered.

Surface flashover is likely to be triggered when a high electric field is applied due to its voltage being much lower than the breakdown voltage of either gas or solid, which restricts the development of advanced power electrical and electronic devices. To improve dc surface flashover performances in a vacuum and further explore the effects of deep traps on surface flashover, conductive multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nonconductive nano-titania (TiO2) particles were incorporated into the epoxy (EP) matrix to tailor the surface deep trap level. Surface trap parameters, surface conductivity, surface charge density, and surface flashover voltage were calculated and measured. It indicates that surface flashover voltage improves by 23.07% and 14.45% compared to pristine EP when solely introducing MWCNTs or nano-TiO2 particles into the EP matrix, while it increases by 36.04% for C0.1T2 as simultaneously introducing both particles. When adding small amounts of particles, the surface charge transport is suppressed due to the introduction of bonded layers in the interfacial region, and the surface deep trap level is improved. As the surface deep trap level increases, charge transport and electron emission processes in the solid surface layer are hindered, which reduces the surface positive charge density and the distortion of the electric field and further results in the reduction of surface conductivity and the improvement of dc surface flashover voltage in a vacuum. The explanation for the effects of surface deep traps on surface flashover is essential for further improvements of surface flashover.

Because the output voltage of the existing high-frequency instrument for the defect detection of long-scale transmission cable is too low, it is necessary to output both high-frequency and high-voltage excitation. A diagnosis and location method of cable defects based on pseudotrapezoidal pulse frequency modulation excitation and impedance spectrum digital reconstruction is proposed. A high-capacity pseudotrapezoidal excitation system based on SiC high-speed inverter is designed to measure the impedance spectrum up to the highest frequency of 7 MHz. Through digital reconstruction, the impedance spectrum with different cable defects can be obtained by the bandwidth extension within the range of 100 kHz–63 MHz. Compared with traditional low-voltage sinusoidal excitation, the location results using the proposed time-space conversion function have a more minor interval oscillation and a faster convergence speed. The accuracy of defect location is improved by 80%, which verifies the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.