Mechanical and electrical characteristics of polymeric insulators manufactured from castor oil resins

The use of polymeric materials in high voltage applications is considered especially interesting in the electrical and industrial materials sectors. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to describe the electrical and mechanical characteristics of new polymeric insulators manufactured with novel polyurethane-type insulating resins derived from the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis). Electrical tests were conducted with alternating voltage in the industrial frequency, while the mechanical tests involved the application of flexural and compressive stresses. These new insulators, which are part of an extensive ongoing research effort on this raw material deriving from a plant common in Brazil, where the climatic conditions for its cultivation are excellent, show an excellent potential for end products with competitive prices. This paper also describes the end results of aging by accelerated weathering and the manufacturing process of these insulators, which have proved to possess suitable characteristics as electrical insulators.