Preparation and characterization of PDMS composites by UV-hydrosilation for outdoor polymeric insulators

Silicone polymers are widely used as polymer insulators for housing materials due to their superior properties in the presence of wet conditions and their high electrical properties such as low dielectric permittivity. The hydrosilation reaction (that is the addition of a Si‐H bond across a double bond) is used in silicone industry to form crosslinked silicone polymers. In this work silica and aluminum hydroxide were used as reinforcing fillers in order to improve the properties of the material. Investigations about the nature and the amount of reinforcing particles evidence good thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of the composites with an increase of dry arc resistance values twice higher than the unfilled system. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1253–1262, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers