Abstract
Assessing the degradation of electrical cable insulation is an important feature in extending plant life. The older generating stations are extensively wired with PVC insulated cables, and procedures have been developed to assess degradation using micro specimens in a manner that does not destroy the function of the cable. Material degradation of accelerated aged specimens was systematically monitored by measuring melting or glass transition temperatures (Tg), gel content, infrared peroxide absorbance, relative hardness, and plasticizer loss. The shift in the Tg or the characteristic melting peak predicted the maximum exposure temperature of the PVC. The peroxide absorbance and gel content measurements were sensitive indicators of degradation. The relative hardness as measured by thermo-mechanical analyzer (TMA) penetration distance and plasticizer content decreased as the material aged. The results obtained on micro specimens were related to the ultimate elongation values, which have been the traditional measure of degradation.
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