Abstract
It is necessary for polymeric materials to have superior tracking resistance against various stress conditions for outdoor applications. In this study, the effect of nano-sized alumina tri-hydrate (ATH) particles on the tracking resistance of silicone rubber (SiR) is studied. Specimens with filler loadings of 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 wt % are used for performance characterization. From the inclined plane test (IPT) results, apparent improvement in tracking resistance was achieved by mixing 3 wt % of nano-sized fillers, compared to unfilled specimens. ATH/SiR nanocomposites with 5 wt % loading showed comparable tracking performance to SiO2/SiR microcomposites with 20 wt % loading. For detailed analysis, measurements of surface contact angle (SCA) and surface leakage current, and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed. As the nano-ATH filler concentration increased, both thermal stability and leakage current characteristics were improved. Such results agreed with the tracking resistance performance by showing that thermal decomposition and surface charge transport is inhibited in ATH/SiR nanocomposites. Furthermore, performance improvement in nanocomposites was achieved, even at low filler loadings, compared to microcomposites. Meanwhile, the change in SCA was found to be rather limited, regardless of filler loading and filler size.
Highlights
The use of silicone rubber (SiR) has shown a continuous increase for outdoor insulation applications.Compared to conventional materials, such as glass and porcelain, SiR has desirable characteristics for outdoor insulation [1,2,3]
The occurrence of surface tracking, which is characterized by the formation of an irreversible carbonized conduction pathway [2,7], involves various development stages and factors, such as surface wetting, leakage current flow, dry-band zone formation, and local heat accumulation. [7,8,9]
This research focused on perform a quantitative comparison, the tracking resistance was characterized using the inclined plane test (IPT)
Summary
The use of silicone rubber (SiR) has shown a continuous increase for outdoor insulation applications. Compared to conventional materials, such as glass and porcelain, SiR has desirable characteristics for outdoor insulation [1,2,3]. Examples of advantages include easier installation, lighter weight, and robust performance against pollution [1,2]. The hydrophobic surface characteristic prevents wetting and contributes to robustness against pollution [3]. The material should maintain its insulation performance against various stress conditions, such as ultra-violet radiation [4], acid rain [5], and dust [6]. Representative failure modes that have been reported in outdoor insulation applications are surface tracking and erosion. The occurrence of surface tracking, which is characterized by the formation of an irreversible carbonized conduction pathway [2,7], involves various development stages and factors, such as surface wetting, leakage current flow, dry-band zone formation, and local heat accumulation. [7,8,9]
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