Thermoplastic elastomer, which has important characteristics for cable insulation, was developed by melt blending of polypropylene (PP) with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) at various blend ratios together with SiO2, TiO2 and ZnO nanofillers at fixed loading of 2 vol.-%. The influence of EPDM content and the presence of nanofillers in the blend on burning rate, hydrophobicity and dielectric breakdown strength were investigated. Burning rate of PP/EPDM/ZnO was significantly reduced, implying that there was an improvement in fire retardancy with the addition of ZnO nanofillers in the polymer blend. Both SiO2 and ZnO filled system showed an improvement in hydrophobicity. Furthermore, dielectric breakdown strength showed higher value in EPDM rich blends. In addition, the presence of nanofillers deteriorated the dielectric breakdown strength of PP/EPDM nanocomposites.
WuJ. H. and LiC. H. J.: ‘Reinforcement of dynamically vulcanized EPDM/PP elastomers using organoclay fillers: dynamic properties of rubber vibration isolators and antivibration performance’, J. Thermoplast. Compos. Mater., 2009, 22, 503–517.
2.
KhosrokhavarR., BakhshandehG. R., GhoreishyM. H. R. and NaderiG. J.: ‘PP/EPDM blends and their developments up to nanocomposites’, J. Reinf. Plast. Compos., 2009, 28, 613–639.
3.
HuiS., ChakiT. K. and ChattopadhyayS.: ‘Dielectric properties of EVA/LDPE TPE system: effect of nanosilica and controlled irradiation’, Polym. Eng. Sci., 2010, 50, 730–738.
4.
GeorgeS., VarugheseK. T. and ThomasS.: ‘Dielectric properties of isotactic polypropylene/nitrile rubber blends: effects of blend ratio, filler addition, and dynamic vulcanization’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 1999, 73, 255–270.
5.
WangC. H. I. and ChangC. J.: ‘Fracture energies and tensile strength of an EPDM/PP thermoplastic elastomer’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2000, 75, 1033–1044.
6.
KatbabA. A., HrymakA. N. and KasmadjianK.: ‘Preparation of interfacially compatibilized PP-EPDM thermoplastic vulcanizate/graphite nanocomposites: effects of graphite microstructure upon morphology, electrical conductivity, and melt rheology’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2008, 107, 3425–3433.
7.
LuH., YangW., ZhouS., XingW., SongL. and HuY.: ‘Preparation and flammability of EPDM/PP/Mg(OH)2 dynamic vulcanizates’, Polym. Adv. Technol., 2009, 21, 113–117.
8.
ZhouS., WangZ., GuiZ. and HuY.: ‘A study of the novel intumescent flame-retarded PP/EPDM copolymer blends’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2008, 110, 3804–3811.
9.
PrutE. V., ErinaN. A. and MedintsevaT. I.: ‘Effects of blend composition and dynamic vulcanization on the morphology and dynamic viscoelastic properties of PP/EPDM blends’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2008, 109, 1212–1220.
10.
PrabuR. R., UsaS., UdayakumarK., KhanM. A. and Abdul MajeedS. S. M.: ‘Electrical insulation characteristics of silicone and EPDM polymeric blends – Part I’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2007, 14, 1207–1214.
11.
CanaudC., SensM. A., VisconteL. L. Y., NunesR. C. R. and BrazilR. D.: ‘EPDM formulations for electric wires and cables’, J. Elastomers Plast., 2001, 1, 56–60.
12.
EhsaniM., BorsiH., GockenbachE., MorshedianJ. and BakhshandehG. R.: ‘Study of electrical, dynamic mechanical and surface properties of silicone-EPDM blends’, Int. Conf. Solid Dielectr., 2004, 1, 431–434.
13.
PiahM. A. M. and DarusA.: ‘Electrical tracking performance of LLDPE-natural rubber blends by employing combination of leakage current level and rate of carbon track propagation’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2005, 12, 1259–1265.
14.
ShahK., JainR., ShrinetV., SinghA. and BharambeD.: ‘High density polyethylene (HDPE) clay nanocomposite for dielectric applications’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2009, 16, 853–861.
15.
VenkatesuluB. and ThomasM. J.: ‘Erosion resistance of alumina-filled silicone rubber nanocomposites’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2010, 17, 615–624.
16.
MeyerL., JayaramS. and CherneyE. A.: ‘Thermal conductivity of filled silicone rubber and its relationship to erosion resistance in the inclined plane test’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2008, 620.
17.
RazakJ. A., AkilH. M. and OngH. J.: ‘Effect of inorganic fillers on the flammability behavior of polypropylene composites’, J. Thermoplast. Compos. Mater., 2007, 20, 195–2005.
18.
KrishnamoortiR., RenJ. X. and SilvaA. S.: ‘Shear response of layered silicate nanocomposites’, J. Chem. Phys., 2001, 114, 4968–4973.
19.
PotschkeP., FornesT. D. and PaulD. R.: ‘Rheological behavior of multiwalled carbon nanotube/polycarbonate composites’, Polymer, 2002, 43, 3247–3255.
20.
LaoutidF., BonnaudL., AlexandreM., Lopez-cuestaJ. and DuboisP.: ‘New prospects in flame retardant polymer materials: from fundamentals to nanocomposites’, Mater. Sci., 2009, 63, 100.
21.
DekaB. K. and MajiT. K.: ‘Effect of nanoclay and ZnO on the physical and chemical properties of wood polymer nanocomposite’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2012, 124, 2919.
22.
EhsaniM., BakhshandehG. R., MorshedianJ., BorsiH. and GockenbachE.: ‘Surface degradation of outdoor polymeric insulators resulting from electrical and environmental stress’, Proceedings of the 20th International Power System Conference, Tehran, Iran, 20051–8.
23.
SarathiR., SahuK. and RajeshkumarP.: ‘Understanding the thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of epoxy nanocomposites’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, 446, 567–578.
24.
DyachenkoA. G., BorysenkoM. V. and PakhovchyshynS. V.: ‘Hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of silica surfaces modified with metal’, Adsorpt. Sci. Technol., 2004, 22, 15–18.
25.
SinghaS. and ThomasM. J.: ‘Dielectric properties of epoxy nanocomposites’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2008, 15, 12–23.
26.
SinghaS. and ThomasM. J.: ‘Influence of filler loading on dielectric properties of epoxy-ZnO nanocomposites’, IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul., 2009, 16, 531–542.
27.
BabrauskasV.: ‘Mechanisms and modes for ignition of low-voltage, PVC-insulated electrotechnical products’, Fire Mater., 2006, 30, (2), 151–174.
28.
ParkE.: ‘Morphology, mechanical, and dielectric breakdown properties of PBT/PET/TPE, PBT/PET/PA66, PBT/PET/LMPE, and PBT/PET/TiO2 blends’, Polym. Compos., 2008, 1111–1118.
29.
MaD., HugenerT. A., SiegelR. W., ChristersonA., MartenssonE. and OnnebyC.: ‘Influence of nanoparticle surface modification on the electrical behaviour of polyethylene nanocomposites’, Nanotechnol, 2005, 16, 724–731.
