Effect of Hybrid Fillers in PP/EPDM Nanocomposites for Electrical Insulator Application

By : M.S. Hamzah, M. Mariatti, M. Kamarol

Page No: 605-613

Abstract
Outdoor insulators are very important key components in the electrical power system, such as substation and distribution, and transmission lines. In the early days, outdoor insulators have been made by ceramic such as porcelain or glass because of their superior electrical and mechanical strength. Over the last four decades, polymer composite insulators for outdoor applications have been commercially produced and the demand is increasing rapidly due to their excellent performance under diverse conditions. Adding micron sized filler to a polymer matrix is a well-established approach for improving performance especially in the context of high voltage application. It is interesting that addition of nanofiller into polymer matrix exhibit markedly improved electrical insulation properties compared to conventional micron sized filler. In this study, hybrid fillers composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and nanoclay were separately embedded in 50% polypropylene (PP) and 50% ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) blends. Several formulations of APP-nanoclay filled PP/EPDM hybrid nanocomposites were prepared using an internal mixer and were molded using a compression mold to produce test samples. The effects of APP:nanoclay loading (1.5:2, 3.0:2, 4.5:2, and 6:2 vol. %) on the flammability and electrical insulation properties of nanoclay filled PP/EPDM hybrid nanocomposites were investigated. The addition of 1.5:2 vol. % APP:nanoclay improved the dielectric breakdown strength of the PP/EPDM hybrid nanocomposites. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the PP/EPDM nanocomposites are found to increase as filler loading increases. The contact angle measurement shows that the hydrophilicity of APP-nanoclay filled PP/EPDM hybrid nanocomposites increased. Flammability test results showed that addition of APP reduced the burning rate of APP-nanoclay filled PP/EPDM hybrid nanocomposites.

Authors :
M.S. Hamzah and M. Mariatti : School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
M. Kamarol : School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia