Highly insulating thermoplastic nanocomposites based on a polyolefin ternary blend for high-voltage direct current power cables
Journal article, 2022

Octyl-silane-coated Al2O3 nanoparticles are found to be a promising conductivity-reducing additive for thermoplastic ternary blends comprising low-density polyethylene (LDPE), isotactic polypropylene and a styrenic copolymer. The ternary blend nanocomposites were prepared by compounding the blend components together with an LDPE-based masterbatch that contained the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles did not affect the superior stiffness of the ternary blends, compared to neat LDPE, between the melting temperatures of the two polyolefins. As a result, ternary blend nanocomposites comprising 38 wt% polypropylene displayed a storage modulus of more than 10 MPa up to at least 150 degrees C, independent of the chosen processing conditions. Moreover, the ternary blend nanocomposites featured a low direct-current electrical conductivity of about 3 x 10(-15) S m(-1) at 70 degrees C and an electric field of 30 kV mm(-1), which could only be achieved through the presence of both polypropylene and Al2O3 nanoparticles. This synergistic conductivity-reducing effect may facilitate the design of more resistive thermoplastic insulation materials for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power cables.

Author

Azadeh Soroudi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Yingwei Ouyang

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Fritjof Nilsson

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Mid Sweden University

Ida Östergren

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Xiangdong Xu

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Electric Power Engineering

Zerui Li

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Amir Masoud Pourrahimi

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Mikael Hedenqvist

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Thomas Gkourmpis

Borealis GmbH

Per-Ola Hagstrand

Borealis GmbH

Christian Müller

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Nanoscale

2040-3364 (ISSN) 2040-3372 (eISSN)

Vol. 14 21 7927-7933

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Polymer Technologies

Materials Chemistry

Infrastructure

Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory

DOI

10.1039/d1nr08255h

PubMed

35593376

More information

Latest update

3/7/2024 9