Application of unusual techniques for characterizing ageing on polymeric electrical insulation

The degradation process caused by electrical stresses and weather conditions on electrical non-ceramic insulation was analyzed with non-destructive techniques. Traditional replica technique was introduced as a novel method to characterize microstructure changes on polymeric insulation. Static contact angle and roughness measurements were also used to characterize non-ceramic insulation. These non-conventional techniques have shown to be appropriate for evaluating aging on electrical insulation surfaces of bushings and surge arresters installed in electrical substations. The replica technique has drawn attention for being an innovative analysis test for characterizing polymeric insulation.