Physicochemical Modeling of the Recovery of Polydimethylsiloxanes after Electrical Breakdown

A new approach is proposed for analyzing the efficiency of self-recovery in polydimethylsiloxane polymers containing bubble-type defects that appear after low-power electrical breakdown in polydimethylsiloxane samples. The process of bubble defect disappearance is simulated with consideration of gas dissolution in the sample and the effect of surface tension forces at the defect boundary. The results show that only the combined action of these factors ensures effective self-recovery of the polydimethylsiloxane sample. Based on the simulation model, a method is developed for evaluating the efficiency of self-recovery of the material’s structural continuity. The method compares the rate of change in the shape and volume of bubble-type defects after electrical breakdown with the rate of change in mechanically induced defects. The mechanical nature of the defects serves as a reference level against which the effect of electrical breakdown is analyzed. The proposed method is particularly effective for collecting statistical data on the self-recovery of transparent amorphous materials.