Effect of nano-fillers on electrical treeing in epoxy resin subjected to AC voltage

Author

Ding, H.-Z. ; Varlow, B.R.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Eng., Manchester Univ., UK

fYear

2004

fDate

17-20 Oct. 2004

Firstpage

332

Lastpage

335

Abstract

In the study, various amounts of nano- and micro-scale zinc oxide particles (62 nm and 1 μm average diameter) were systematically introduced into an Araldite epoxy resin matrix for reinforcement purposes. The influence of these particles on the electrical treeing breakdown resistance was investigated experimentally. Samples of point-plane geometry were made and tested under 10 kV and 15 kV AC voltage. Comparative results are presented which show that the addition of a small amount (0.5 to 1 wt.%) of zinc oxide particles in the epoxy resin can make significant improvements in breakdown resistance by increasing the treeing time to breakdown, and nano-ZnO/epoxy composites are far more resistive to treeing breakdown than that of micro-ZnO/epoxy composites and neat epoxy resin. The possible reasons why and how smaller particles should improve the electrical treeing resistance are discussed.

Keywords

cable insulation; composite insulating materials; epoxy insulation; filled polymers; insulation testing; nanocomposites; trees (electrical); zinc compounds; 1 micron; 10 kV; 15 kV; 62 nm; AC voltage test; Araldite epoxy resin matrix reinforcement; ZnO; breakdown resistance; electrical treeing; electrical treeing breakdown resistance; epoxy resin; micro-ZnO/epoxy composites; micro-scale zinc oxide particles; nano-ZnO/epoxy composites; nano-fillers; nano-scale zinc oxide particles; particle size; point-plane geometry; treeing breakdown; treeing time to breakdown; zinc oxide particles; Dielectrics; Electric breakdown; Electric resistance; Epoxy resins; Geometry; Polymers; Testing; Trees - insulation; Voltage; Zinc oxide;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, 2004. CEIDP '04. 2004 Annual Report Conference on

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8584-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CEIDP.2004.1364255

Filename

1364255