Performance of a nanotextured superhydrophobic coating developed for high-voltage outdoor porcelain insulators

We live in an era of striking advancements in various domains of science and technology, where separate fields and specializations are overlapping into new horizons. This cooperative approach is emerging rapidly in polymer science by employing the organic and physical chemistry, materials science, as well as electrical and mechanical engineering to collaborate and develop uniquely innovative materials. In outdoor high voltage power equipment, various problems such as flashover, rain, icing, pollution, and UV can compromise the performance of insulators thereby distorting the reliability of the entire system. Superhydrophobic coatings are sought-after candidates owing to their ultra-non-wettable, easy-to-clean, and anti-ice character. However, the performance of superhydrophobic coatings when they are subjected to high-voltage fields is still lacking sufficient research. Here, we aimed at designing a robust and novel non-fluorinated superhydrophobic coating in order to increase the effective life-span of high-voltage insulators by preventing and/or delaying the possible arcing and flashover driven damages. The electrical properties of the coating were investigated through various and comprehensive test methods. The coating showed high thermal and desirable weathering stability. Compared with bare porcelain in dry, wet, and polluted conditions, the superhydrophobic coating successfully increased the flashover voltage. Moreover, the superhydrophobic coating exhibited low leakage currents through the condensation test when exposed to high humidity conditions. With leakage currents of as low as 20 mA after three continuous steps of voltage increase, the superhydrophobic coating showed less tracking and erosion lines than the pristine coating in an adapted inclined plane test for thin films.