Tracking and erosion resistance of silicone rubber/BN nanocomposites under DC voltage

Silicon rubber is widely employed as insulating materials in transmission lines due to its excellent electrical and mechanical properties. The discharges that happen inevitably during the operation of the composite insulators release too much heat that can cause electrical erosion on the surface of silicon rubber (SiR) insulators. It is known that the aim of improving the resistance to tracking and erosion of silicon rubber can be achieved by increasing its thermal conduction ability. In this study, samples were prepared by dispersing nano-BN particles into silicone rubber at concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, 5% by weight. According to IEC 60587, Inclined plane (IP) tracking and erosion tests were conducted to compare the phenomena occurring during the tests. The experimental results suggest that with the increase in concentration of nano-BN fillers from 0 wt% to 5 wt%, the thermal properties are improved. In addition, the erosion depth and the weight loss show a decreasing trend which proves that the resistance of silicon rubber to tracking and erosion is improved.