Environmental effects and algae resistance of silicone surfaces for enhanced understanding of polymer insulators

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Lightweight polymer insulators are an important and sustainable alternative to ceramic materials for power distribution to towns and cities across the globe. They are less expensive and require less energy to manufacture, and may offer longer and more stable service in harsh environments such as hot climates where the polymers experience temperatures up to 55 degrees, winter areas where de-icing salts accumulate on polymer surfaces, and coastal environments where contamination by algae is a serious concern. It is important to understand how the polymer materials stand up to these conditions, in particular how such environmental exposure may compromise the ability of the material to prevent the ingress of water. In all of these cases, testing must be done under simultaneous electrical stress, to best reproduce the 40,000-volt application in use. This proposal seeks to study the fundamental physical chemical properties of polymer insulator surfaces under elevated temperature and high voltage, and subsequently characterizes the ability of freshwater and saltwater algae to colonize the surface. At the same time, this project provides many opportunities for training the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced materials characterization methods.