Can thick silicone rubber coatings enhance the durability of some polymer concrete insulators in polluted environments?

Polymer concrete, a low-cost composite material developed to be an alternative to porcelain in outdoor applications has generally worked well in most environments, where care has been taken to design it in a manner appropriate to the environment. There have, however, been a few instances where it has been pressed into service with designs essentially duplicating ones meant for porcelain. In those instances, in some highly polluted environments, even though the polymer concrete has not failed as such, it has shown some signs of surface degradation. This paper advances the view that in those circumstances, perhaps thick silicone rubber coatings can enhance the durability and behavior of polymer concrete insulation and effect a technically and economically viable synergism