2004 International Conference on Solid Dielectrics, Toi,louse, France, July 5-9, 2004

B
C
D
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Study of Electrical, Dynamic Mechanical and Surface Properties of
Silicone-EPDM Blends
100 2.2
90 I O 2.2
80 20 2.2
60 40 2.2
50 50 2.2
M. Ehsani '*, H. Borsi ', E. Gockenbach ', G. R. Bakhshandeh I, J . Morshedian I, N. Abedi
'Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute (IPPI), Department of Polymer Processing,
P. 0. Box. 146571 15, Tehran, Iran
Callinstr. 25 A, D-30167, Hannover, Germany
* Email: Ehsani@si.uni-hannover.de
Institute of Electric Power Systems (Schering Institute), University of Hannover,
Abstract: The present paper reports about the results of
a study of mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical and
electrical properties of polymeric insulators. Silicone
rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM)
and alloys of silicon-EPDM are known polymers for use
as high voltage insulators. The result of dynamical
mechanical measurement shows that the storage of
blends enhanced with increase EPDM in formulation. It
can be seen from the result of TGA measurement that
initial thermal decomposition of silicone rubber
improved in the effected of EPDM in blends. The blends
of silicone-EPDM show good breakdown voltage
strength compare to silicone rubber. They present also
more hydrophobicity in comparison to EPDM.
INTRODUCTION
Polymeric insulators are widely used in the manufacture
of outdoor HV insulators, due to their superior service
properties in the presence of heavy pollution and wet
condition: resistance to vandalism, high electrical
parameters (low dielectric permitivity, high breakdown
voltage, high surface and volume resistance): lower
weight in comparison to the porcelain glass insulators
[1-4]. In characteristic manner, composite polymer
insulators are composed of three components (fiber
glass reinforced resin rod system, mctal end fittings, and
polymeric weather sheds). The weather shed is intended
for protect the fiber glass rod from the environment and
electrical surface discharges. Weather sheds are usually
polymeric or elastomeric materials [ 5] . Different
polymers were used in the make up of composite
insulators (weather- sheds). SIR insulators show
excellent electrical performance under wet and
contaminated environments, and are applied widely in
polluted condition. But they suffer from price,
mechanical propcrties and tracking resistance.
Ethylene - propylene rubber (EPDM) due to its
combination of superior electrical properties, its
flexibility over a wide temperature range and its
resistance to moisture and weather is used in HV
insulators. EPDM endures from UV radiation and loss
of hydrophobicity. The alloy of EPDM and SIR make it
0-7803-8348-6/04/$20.00 02004 IEEE.
possible to combine the properties of two materials.
Properly, compounded alloys have excellent electrical
and mechanical properties due to the presence of EPDM
and are hydrophobic because of the silicone content [6].
In the work presented here thermal, dynamic
mechanical, hydrophobicity and electrical measurements
of silicone, EPDM and their different blends are
introduced.
EXPMMENTAL PROCEDURE
Material, Mixing and Molding
All the materials, used for this work were commercial
products and they were used as received without further
treatments. Silicone rubber, EPDM and different blends
of them are used for study in this work.
The silicone rubber (SIR), type Elastosil R401160, was
obtained from Wacker-Chemie. Germany. Ethylene
propylene diene rubber (EPDM), type Vistalon 7500,
was prepared from Exxon Chemical, Belgium and the Di
Cumyl Peroxide (DCP) with activity of 98 % was
produced by Hercules Inc., USA.
Table. 1. Mixing formulations
Sample no. 1 SIR (gr) I EPDM (gr) 1 DCP (gr)
A I 100 I I 2.2
min.
Dynamic Mechanical Thermo-Analysis (DMTA)
Dynamic mechanical analysis is a method that measures
the stifmess (shear, tensile, flexile modulus) and
mechanical damping (internal friction or dissipation
factor tan 6) as a function of temperature or frequency.
Dynamic mechanical properties of insulating materials
are useful information for their application in high
voltage insulation, where oscillating mechanical stress
caused by high intensity AC electric fields is
experienced. In particular, the mechanical dissipation
factor, acting together with the dielectric tan 6, may
contribute significantly to heat generation in the
material.
A Polymer Laboratories Dynamic Mechanical Thermal
Analyzer (PL-DMTA) was used in the study and the E'
and tan 6 vs. temperature of the samples were measured
at the frequency of 1 Hz.
Thermo-Gravimetrical Analysis (TGA)
Thermo-Gravimetrical Analysis is an instrument simply
measures weight change vs. temperature. For TGA
measurement, specimens were cut from the samples as
small pieces (10 mg). The specimen is heated from 40
"C - 600 "C at a constant rise of temperature (10
OC/min) in nitrogen atmosphere, while the sample
weight is continuously monitored by computer screen.
The equipment from PERKIN ELMER was used to test
the samples.
Dielectric Breakdown Strength
The total breakdown voltage is determined by placing
electrodes on opposite surfaces of a specimen disc or
plaque, and increasing the potential difference between
the electrodes until the material can no longer resist the
flow of current. In this study, the composition of
electrodes was a sphere of 20 nun in diameter on high
voltage side and a sphere of 20 mmin diameter on low
voltage side. Imposed voltage is AC 50 Hz with
increasing rate of 2 kV/sec. Specified test method was
according to IEC 60156.
Contact Angle
Hydrophobicity is the ability of the polymer to repel
water on its surface, forming individual droplets, rather
than a film. The contact angle that gives a measure of
the hydrophobicity property of the surface is defined as
the angle formed between the tangent to the water
droplet and the horizontal surface. In the present work
contact angle was measured after cleaning the surface
with distilled water to remove any pollution deposited
on the samples. A goniometer was employed to
determine contact angle at the triple point of sample,
water and air using a sessile droplet of distilled water.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Dynamic Mechanical Thermo-Analysis Study
The dynamic modulus, the loss modulus, and a
mechanical damping or internal frictions are determined
from these measurements. The modulus indicates
stiffness of material, and it may be a shear, a tensile, or a
flexible modulus, depending upon the experimental
equipment.
10.5 I .
8,5 8 1
1,5
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100
Temperature, "C
Fig. 1. Storage modulus for samples
450 , I
3 400
350
Y 300
A B C D E F
Samples
Fig. 2. Comparison of the values of storage modulus for
samples at 25 "C.
The mechanical damping (internal friction) gives the
amount of energy dissipated as heat during the
deformation. The dynamic mechanical spectra (E' and
tan 6 as function of temperature) for samples are shown
in Fig. 1 and 3, respectively. The storage modulus for
samples decreases at the glass transition and also at the
melting zone as shown in Fig. 1. The decrease of storage
modulus in the melting zone is very noticeable. It can be
seen from Fig. 2 that the blends of SIR and EPDM (C,
D, E, F) show higher storage modulus compare to SIR
(A) and EPDM (B) at 25 'C. But with the increase of
EPDM content in alloys, the storage modulus decreases.
Glass transition temperature and the loss tangent (tan 6)
values of samples at 1 Hz as a function of temperature
(-150 to 100 "C) are presented in Fig. 4. A single
mechanical transition has been observed in temperature
range studied and is recognized as the a-relaxation or
the glass transition peak for EPDM. The a-relaxation is
related to the Brownian motion of the main chain
associated with the glass transition and the relaxation of
segments associated with it. Fig. 4 shows that the value
of tan F increases for samples with increase in EPDM
content at glass transition temperature (about -25 "C).
0-
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100
Temperature, " C
Fig. 3. tan 6 for samples A to F
0.7
0.5
-
A B C D E F
sade
Fig. 4. Comparison of the values of tan 6 for samples at
glass transition temperature
Thermn-Gravimetrical Analysis (TGA)
Measurements
TGA spectra of the virgin samples are shown in Fig. 5.
It can he seen that the range of temperature from 30 "C -
250 "C didn't affect significantly the change of weight of
all samples. In contrast, silicone rubber (A) shows initial
degradation temperature at 3 17 "C before other samples.
It can bedue to lower bond energy of Si-C bonds (Si-C
bond dissociation energy 306 kJ lmol) in silicone rubber
compare to bond energy of C - C (346 Idimol) in other
samples.
Fig. 6 shows the histogram of initial decomposition
temperature for blends. It can be seen that with the
increase EPDM content in blends the initial
decomposition temperature increases (for blends). The
initial decomposition temperature exhibits the tracking
and erosion resistance for polymers.
0 loo MO 300 400 5M) 600
Tenpmtui'e ("C)
Fig. 5. TGA curves for different samples
A B C D E F
Fig. 6. Histogram of initial decomposition temperature
for different samples
Dielectric Breakdown Strength Measurement
Table 2 shows dielectric breakdown strength of samples
un-aged and after thermal aging at 100 "C for 600 h (the
thickness of samples was 1 mm). It can be seen that
dielectric strength of EPDM (B) is higher than other
samples in virgin case, hut it has also the highest
breakdown strength after thermal aging. Fig. 7 shows the
comparison of breakdown strength for new samples and
thermal aged samples. It can he seen that breakdown
strength increase with EPDM content in alloys, but the
alloys are sensitive to thermal stress compared to SIR.
Table. 2. Dielectric breakdown strength for samples
B S, : Breakdown strength for un-aged samples
B S2: Breakdown strength for thermal aged samples
A B C D E F
Samples
Fig. 7. Breakdown strength of new and thermal aged
samples
......................
..............
0 4 I
0 100 250 400 600
Time (h)
Fig. 8. Variation of contact angle with duration of
thermal aging
Hydrophobicity study
Fig. 8 shows the dependence of contact angle of samples
with heat aging. It can be observed that contact angle
generally decreases with increasing time of thermal
aging (600 h at 100 "C). It is clear that hydrophobicity
of EPDM (B) decreases more during the thermal aging
compare to other samples. This can be the result of
formation of polar group such as carbonyl. Our previous
experiences showed that water repellency of blends
improved by silicone content, but they suffered from
hydrophobicity after water salinity aging in comparison
to silicone rubber [7].
CONCLUSION
Mechanical properties such as storage modulus are
improved for the alloys compared to SIR and
EPDM.
Breakdown strength is upgraded in the alloys with
EPDM content.
The initial thermal deconiposition that is important
for tracking and erosion resistance is enhanced by
EPDM content in the alloys.
The hydrophobic behavior of EPDM is improved
by SIR content in alloys.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors thank the Ministry of Energy of Iran for
supporting this project.
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