Enhanced Hydrophobic and Electrical Properties of Silicone Rubber Samples With ZrO2 Nanocomposites

Hydrophobicity is an important property that enhances the insulating performance of polymeric insulators. It further protects the insulator from the formation of the dry band under wet conditions which causes leakage current, flashover, and other surface effects. This work focuses on the enhancement of hydrophobicity by adding ZrO2 nanofillers in different weight percentages (1, 3, and 5 wt%) with liquid silicone rubber (LSR). The diameter of the water droplet is measured by a video measuring system (VMS), and the static contact angle is measured by ImageJ Analysis under clean conditions. As per the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D2303, the inclined plane test (IPT) is used to determine the tracking and erosion properties of the polymer insulator. IPT results are compared with surface roughness for all the prepared samples. The experimentation reveals that the 5 wt% added nanocomposite sample shows improved hydrophobic and electrical characteristics when compared to all other samples.