Influence of filler properties on the tracking characteristics of silicone rubbers

Polymer insulating materials are widely used in power distribution and transmission systems for their good dielectric properties such as light weight, low cost, and good contamination performance. The tracking is one of the biggest problems to be overcome in polymer insulating materials. The alumina trihydrate (ATH) is widely used as a filler for improving the tracking performance of silicone rubber. In this paper, we have investigated the influence of particle size of the ATH on the tracking performance of silicone rubber using the IEC 587 tracking test method and the effect of contact angle on the tracking performance of virgin silicone rubber using the CAM (contact angle meter, ERMA INC).