Abstract

The electrical performance of polymeric insulators depends on the hydrophobicity of their surfaces. In this study, the contact and / or receding angle of a water droplet at the surface of Silicone rubber insulators is measured under different climatic conditions of Egypt. This paper experimentally investigates the effects of various environmental factors (e.g desert’s dust, cement and fertilizer) on the hydrophobicity of Silicone rubber (SiR) insulators. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis were also performed on the tested polymeric insulators. The results report that the SiR composite insulator changes its surface properties from hydrophobic to hydrophilic nature for the aged insulators as environmental condition changes.

Key words: Hydrophobicity, contact angle, receding angle, Silicone rubber composite insulator, accelerated aging.