Generating nonlinear conductive characteristics of micro-silicon carbide/silicone elastomer composites at high temperature utilizing nano-AlN fillers

•m-SiC/SE composites loses its nonlinear conductive property at high temperature.•n-AlN fillers’ addition achieves stable nonlinear conductivity even at 250 °C.•No conductivity saturation shows up to 250 °C with the n-AlN fillers.•n-AlN fillers reduce low-field conductivity and increase switching electric field.•n-AlN fillers generate anchoring and bridging effect and heterogeneous interface. Due to the micro-silicon carbide/silicone elastomer (m-SiC/SE) composite above the percolation threshold loses its nonlinear conductive characteristics at high temperatures, it is unsuitable for high temperature applications. This paper reports the influence of the nano-AlN (n-AlN) fillers on nonlinear conductive characteristics of m-SiC/SE composites at high temperatures. It is found that the addition of the n-AlN fillers in m-SiC/SE composites achieves a stable nonlinear conductivity without a saturation trend up to 250 °C due to the anchoring and bridging effect of the n-AlN fillers, whereas the heterogenous m-SiC/n-AlN interface barrier decreases the conductivity at low fields and enhances the switching electric field, making it suitable for promising high temperature applications.