Glass fiber network reinforced polyethylene terephthalate composites for support insulators

Abstract

Epoxy resin has long been used as an insulating material in high-voltage apparatus, although its poor recyclability greatly limits its future application. Fiber network reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as a low-cost and recyclable material, has great potential to substitute epoxy resin as a high-voltage insulation material. The enhanced fiber network combined with the PET matrix form a semi-‘steel-reinforced concrete’ structure, and can collaboratively improve the tensile strength by more than 50% and the dielectric strength by 25.4%. Furthermore, the breakdown path as well as the fiber distribution are clearly rebuilt in 3D coordinates based on a 3D x-ray microscope for the first time. Experimental and computational evidence show that the fiber network lengthens the breakdown path and improves the dielectric strength. This work provides new perspectives for subsequent research on the electrical properties of bone-enhanced dielectric polymer composite.