A Study on the Development of New Silicone based Polymeric Outdoor Insulator Material for Enhanced Properties

Abstract

Polymeric insulators have been increasingly popular in recent years as a result of their superior performance in contaminated environments due to their hydrophobic properties. However, research into the ageing condition of polymeric materials and their practicality for large-scale use is currently ongoing. Insulator deterioration is caused by environmental tracking and erosion factors. As insulators age, they develop immature failures and inconsistencies in their functioning. pollution performance of polymeric insulators is a vital factor in the quality and reliability of the power system. Over some time, dry band arcing can initiate the flashover and it causes degradation in the form of erosion and tracking. Polymeric insulators’ performance is heavily influenced by the constituent materials and their properties. There is a critical need to investigate innovative filler materials that can be combined with existing polymeric base materials to form composites. In this context the proposed research use silicone rubber as a base polymeric material, to which additives are added to produce three distinct composites by varying the filler concentration. Preliminary studies were made to evaluate the hydrophobicity, dielectric strength, hardness, specific gravity, tensile strength, ultimate elongation and tear strength properties of this HTV silicone rubbed-based composites by using ASTM standards and IEC 60587 requirements. Studies were also made by accelerated ageing on sample material by using the IPTE test. The results show substantial improvement in the electrical and ageing properties.