8. How to choose a solid insulating material

The choice of an insulating material cannot be based solely on its electrical characteristics, such as dielectric strength. Numerous other characteristics must be taken into account to withstand environmental and mechanical stresses, or to enable processing. They differ according to the application. The following methodology is proposed for selecting materials for a given application:

• identify all the environmental constraints to which the material will be subjected, including temperature and its rate of change, humidity (steam or liquid water), chemical contaminants (gases, ions, etc.), radiation (UV, ionizing, etc.), etc;

• make an initial selection of materials deemed capable of withstanding these stresses;

• select materials that can be processed in a way that is compatible...