Investigation of mechanical, thermal and electrical parameters of gel combustion-derived cubic zirconia/epoxy resin composites for high-voltage insulation

Abstract

The present study deals with the fabrication of epoxy composites reinforced with synthesized nano-zirconia, and to study their properties for high-voltage applications. The epoxy composites were extensively characterized to understand the morphology, mechanical, thermal, and electrical insulating behavior. The surface morphology and molecular structure of the nanoparticle and its interaction with the base matrix ware investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD profiles confirmed that particles were crystalline and nanosized. Moreover, the tensile characteristics were analyzed using various theoretical models that predict the stiffness of these composites. The glass transition temperature of the epoxy/ZrO2 composite increased with the increase in nanofiller content. The AC breakdown voltage reached a maximum of 14.8 kV for 2 wt% ZrO2 composite. The prepared composites have the potential to act as high-performance insulation materials. Keywords: nanofiller composite, ZrO2, mechanical properties, thermal properties, gel combustion process.