Effect of nanoparticles on dielectric, mechanical and thermal characteristics of XLPE/TiO2 nanocomposites

Insulators are required in a power system network to provide ground isolation and mechanical support for line conductors. Different kinds of insulators are being utilized in transmission lines and substations. Many power utilities are now using non-ceramic insulators like Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) composite insulators. This research aims to develop XLPE nanocomposites for use as power cable insulation in industrial applications. To attain this, XLPE nanocomposites were made with five different loadings of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles: 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 weight (wt)% in the presence of a Dicymul Peroxide agent, which is used to minimize nanoparticle agglomeration and enhance compatibility within the polymer matrix. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was utilized to investigate the structure and distribution of nanoparticles inside the XLPE. The dielectric properties of these developed XLPE/TiO2 nanocomposites were studied by measuring the AC dielectric strength with a regulated high voltage testing transformer (50Hz). The mechanical properties such as tensile strength and elongation at break were also assessed. The thermal properties of nanocomposites were examined using Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). When TiO2 nanoparticles are included in the XLPE matrix, the dielectric strength of XLPE/TiO2 is shown to be higher than pure XLPE. This indicates that XLPE/TiO2 nanocomposites have higher dielectric characteristics, with a TiO2 filler loading of 5 wt% being the best. This might be because TiO2 nanoparticles have a low surface energy, which prevents them from clustering together. Also, the addition of nano TiO2 improves the mechanical and thermal characteristics of XLPE nanocomposites. XLPE with 5 wt% nano TiO2 showed the best improvement in different properties.