Dielectric Materials: Types and Applications

•Solid Insulating Materials and their Applications

Insulating materials are invariably used in almost all electrical

equipments ranging from an ordinary bulb to a complicated power
generation system or to a sophisticated electronic system. They are also
used to insulate the complex computer system, and instrumentation and
control arrangements of an industrial process
Some examples in this regard are given below for an easier
understanding.

1. In domestic electric wiring, an insulation covering of plastic, rubber,

treated cloth tape or varnish is provided around the copper/aluminium
conductor.
2. Flexible Micanite is used in slot lining and field coil insulation of
electric motors
3. Cotton and cotton tapes are used to insulate the magnetic coils and
armature windings of small machines
4.Varnishes of different kinds are used to insulate armature coils, field
coils and relay coils etc. For that the varnish is heated to 100°C or
more and then the coils are dipped into it.

5. Glass and glass tapes are used to insulate windings and their ends for
high temperature working.

6. Mica is used as insulation in domestic appliances.

7. High voltage and low voltage porcelains are used in transmission

lines, power stations, oil circuit breakers, disconnecting switches, and
arrestors etc
 Classification of Insulating Material on The Basis of Structure

Fibrous Material Wood, Paper, Cotton, Adhesive Tapes

Insulating Liquids Transformer Oil, Cable Oil, Silicon Fluids
Non- Resinous Materials Bitumen’s, Waxes
Glass And Ceramics Glass, Porcelain Etc
Plastics Molding Powder, Rubber Laminations
Mineral Mica, Micanites
Gaseous Air, H2, N2, Co2, Sf6, Hg And Na Vapour
 Classification of Dielectric (or Insulating) Materials
• Depending upon various considerations, the electrical insulating materials may be
classified into following types.
I . On the Basis of State of Material
1. Solid insulating materials
i. Polymeric materials such as bakelite, pvc, rubber, etc.
ii. Ceramic materials such as mica, porcelain, silicate, glass, etc.
2. Liquid insulating materials
i. Organic liquids such as petroleum products : mineral oils, asphalt, transformer
oil etc.; agro products : wood oil, wax etc; pyranols, silicone oil.
ii. Inorganic liquids such as purified water, liquid He, SF6, liquid N2.
3. Gaseous insulating materials
i. Electropositive gases such as N2
ii. Electronegative gases such as H2, freon
iii. Mixture gases such as air
iv. Hydrocarbon gases such as CH4, C2H6
v. Oxide gases such as CO2, SO2
II. On the Basis of their Availability
1. Natural materials
i. in solid state such as varnish, resins, silica
ii. in liquid state such as bitumen, vegetable oil, liquid O2
iii. in gaseous state such as air, N2, CO2, SF6

2. Synthetic materials
i. in solid state such as silicone resins, glass wool, askarel
ii. in liquid state such as substitutents of hydrocarbons: sowol, aroclors; halogen-
free liquids: silicone oil, transformer oil
iii. in gaseous state such as freon, sodium vapour, CCl4
III. On the Basis of Maximum Working Temperature

1. Class Y (workable upto 90°C) such as cotton, Pvc, valcanized, rubber, paper, silk
2. Class A (workable upto 105°C) such as paper : impregnated or immersed in oil,
resins
3. Class E (workable upto 120°C) such as glass tape, enamels
4. Class B (workable upto 130°C) such as mica, asbestos, glass
5. Class F (workable upto 155°C) such as mica, asbestos, glass etc. with bonding
substance capable of operation at 155°C
6. Class H (workable upto 180.C) such as varnished glass
7. Class C (workable above 180°C) such as porcelain, mica, quartz, glass, teflon,
silicone liquids, SF6.
IV. On the Basis of Form of Material and Special Purposes

1. Fibrous materials such as nylon, glass fibres

2. Impregnating materials such as wax paper-aluminium foil
3. Coating materials such as polyethylene, teflon
4. Filling materials such as glass wool, asbestos wool
5. Bonding materials such as elastomers, glass-reinforcedmica
6. Adhesive materials such as plastic films, resins
V. On the Basis of Types of Services
1. for high voltage services such as N2 (in gas-filled cables alongwith oil-treated paper
insulation), vacuum
2. for low voltage services such as air, porcelain
3. for high temperature (thermal stability) services such as phlogophite mica, glass tapes
4. for low temperature services such as polyvinylformal (formvar)

Amongst these, the solid dielectrics are most common. Liquid dielectrics perform
other functions also such as arc extinguishing, cooling etc. and are used for special
purposes. The gaseous dielectrics are cheap and easily available.
• Ceramic Insulating Materials
The ceramics are non-metallic, inorganic, metallic oxides having
non-crystalline (amorphous) structure. They are hard, brittle, and
possess poor tensile strength. However, they have high melting point
and form very good insulating materials.

Properties
Hard, Strong, Dense, Brittle, Unaffected By Chemical Action, Stable At
High Temperature, Excellent Dielectric Properties, Weak Impact
Strength, Possess Poor Tensile Strength, However, they have high
melting point.

Uses: High Voltage Applications At Elevated Temperature In Ovens

Several types of ceramics are used for this purpose which can be
classified into following main groups.

1. Refractories
2. Silicates
3. Glasses
4. Limes
5. Cements and concretes
6. Clays and clay products
7. Bitumens and asphalts
8. Rocks and stones
9. Asbestos and plaster of Paris
10. Porcelain
• Mica
Mica is most widely used insulating material. On the basis of temperature
applicability, it is class B type insulating material.

It is available in different forms such as given below

1. Muscovita (Ruby or Potash) mica
2. Phlogopite (Amber or Magnesia) mica.

Muscovita mica is a form of hydrated potassium aluminium silicate.

It is Translucent green, ruby, silver or brown, and is strong or brown and is strong,
tough and flexible, Muscovita mica exhibits good corrosion resistance and is not
affected by alkalies it is used under sever situations like capacitors and
commutator

while the phlogopite also known as magnesium mica containing quartz and iron oxide
as impurities, is More flexible compared to Muscovita mica. It is amber, yellow
green or grey in colour, but electrical property is are poorer compared to
Muscovita mica , it is used where thermal stability are required as in domestic
appliances like hotplates
Properties and applications of Muscovita mica and Magnesium mica
Muscovita (Ruby or Potash) mica Phlogopite (Amber or Magnesia) mica
Porcelain
Ceramic material is composed of clay, quartz and feldspar. Barium carbonate(BaCO3)
is used in high frequency porcelain instead of feldspar.

Porcelain is prepared by mixing finely ground (grinded) clay with metallic oxide and
water. The paste thus formed is dried and fired at 1200 °C to 1700 °C.

Porcelain is used as insulating material in applications like

 Transformer bushing-pins
 Disconnecting switches
 Plugs, sockets, and fuse holders
 Line insulators Suspension insulators for transmission and distribution lines.
Porcelains are used for both: the low voltage and high voltage services. Hence, their
properties are different from each other.

Salient properties of low voltage and high voltage porcelains at 298 K are compared in
Below Table
Porcelains are used for both: the low voltage and high voltage services. Hence, their
properties are different from each other.

Salient properties of low voltage and high voltage porcelains at 298 K are compared in
Below Table
Glass is an inorganic (ceramic) material made by fusion of different metallic oxides.
The fusion product is cooled to a condition in which the crystallization does not occur.
It has a high melting point and is highly resistant to chemical and corrosive
environments.

These glasses have low dielectric loss and high dielectric strength. They are used as
moulded insulating devices such as bushings, laminated boards, capacitors, bulbs,
protective shields etc
Micanite

It is a sheet form material obtained by glueing the mica with shellac or other binders. To
enhance its tensile strength, cloth or paper can also be glued on one or both sides of the
sheet. Based on the properties produced-in and the method of construction etc.; micanites may
be of various kinds such as given below.

• Moulded micanite • Multi-layer micanite

• Hard micanite • Flexible micanite
• Silicon binder micanite • Tape and paper micanite, etc.

In their construction, the sheets of about 0.1 mm thickness are normally used. They are
generally used for insulating the coils in electric motors and alternators
Glass Bonded Mica

It is prepared by blending the ground (grinded) mica flakes and powdered glass in
40: 60 to 60: 40 ratio. It possesses high dielectric strength and low dielectric loss. It is
suitable for high humidity and high temperature situations
• Polymeric Insulating Materials
• Plastic is an organic material. It is the mixture of resin, catalyst, accelerator, inhibitor
and pigment. It can be easily moulded to any form, shape and size to suit the
requirements of application. Plastics are available in various usable forms such as
sheet, films, rods, tubes, tapes etc.
Thermosetting (or thermoset) such as
i. Epoxy ii. Polyester
iii. Melamine iv. Phenolics
Thermoplastic (or thermoplast) such as
i. PVC ii. Polyethylene
iii. PTFE (Teflon) iv. Nylon
v. Cellulose acetate vi. Polypropylene
vii. Polystyrene viii. Acrylic
ix. Polysulfone x. Acetal, etc.
Thermosets are non-recyclable, but thermoplasts can be recycled again and again
Their characteristics and properties are compared below
Bakelite
It is also known as phenol formaldehyde and belongs to the family of epoxy. It becomes
hard on heating and cannot be softened again. Its
main properties are the following.
• Power factor (at 60 Hz) = 0.008 to 0.032
• Dielectric constant (at 50 Hz) = 4 to 5
• Dielectric strength = 15 to 25 kV/mm
• Heat distortion temperature ≈ 95 to 130° C
• Specifi c gravity = 1.2
• Tensile strength = 7 MPa
• Elongation = 2% or less
• Water absoptivity = 0.1 to 0.5%.

Bakelite possesses a good heat resistance and burns slowly.

• Polyethylene
It belongs to the family of thermoplast kind plastics. It becomes soft on heating and can
be remoulded to any other shape. It is available in two types viz. low density
polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Following are the
main properties of polyethylene. The lower values are for LDPE.
• Power factor (at (30 Hz) = 0.0001 to 0.0006
• Dielectric constant (at 50 Hz) = 2.25 to 2.32
• Dielectric strength = 20 to 60 kV/mm
• Heat distortion temperature = 90 to 110° C
• Specific gravity = 0.92 to 0.97
• Tensile strength = 10 to 40 MPa
• Elongation = 50 to 600%
• Water absorptivity = 0.01% or less.

Although Polyethylene surface and volume resistivities are high, but the heat resistance
and flammability are poor.
 Natural and Synthetic Rubber as Insulating Material

• Rubber is an organic polymer found in latex (i.e. sap) of certain plants. Latex is
treated to obtain raw or natural rubber. This is then blended with additive
compounds to get desired properties. These additives are accelerators (such as lime,
litharge), plasticizers (such as stearic acid, vegetable oils), reinforcing agents (such
as carbon black, zinc oxide), and sulphur

The processed natural rubber is of the following three kinds.

1. Chlorinated rubber which is used for producing adhesives and protective coatings.
2. Rubber hydrochloride which is used as packaging insulator.
3. Cyclised rubber which is used to manufacture insulating papers with the help of
paraffin wax
Synthetic Rubber
Synthetic rubbers are superior to natural rubbers in many respects such as resistance against
temperature, oil, grease etc. and in ageing

Several kinds Synthetic Rubber are given below

Neoprenes - has high resistance to ageing,
Butyl - is impermeable(diffuse through) to gases
Butadiene- is highly abrasion(Erosion by friction/rubbing) and weather resistant
Hard rubber
Nitrile (or Buna-N)-is excellent to resistance against solvents and greases
Polyurethane- is abrasion resistant
Silicone-has high thermal stability
Choices of Solid Insulating Materials for Different Applications
Although it is very difficult to assign a particular insulating material for a specific use,
yet the most suitable choices are given below for a practical understanding
 Liquid Insulating Materials

• Several liquids are known to have insulating properties. They possess high electric
strength and widely varying range of permittivity and viscosity
• liquid insulating materials may be natural or synthetic, organic or inorganic,
petroleum or agro products, substituted hydrocarbons or halogen free oils. Purified
water; liquid O2, N2, He
• Silicone oil, resins, mineral and transformer oils etc. are common liquid insulators
Besides serving as insulator, they perform a number of other functions also such as
stated below.

• They provide cooling action by convection phenomenon in transformers and oil-

filled cables.
• They assist in arc extinction in oil circuit breakers.
• They act as insulation between the Current carrying parts and the grounded
container such as in transformers.
• They provide high capacitance and high permittivity to power capacitors.
• They fill-up the voids in solids by removing air and gases from them, and thus
improve their insulating properties.
• They provide impregnation to the layered paper insulation in cables, capacitors,
and transformers where impregnating compounds or the oils are used.
Requirements of a Good Insulating Liquid

A good insulating liquid has to fulfill certain requirements. Main among them are the
following.
1. It should be oxidation resistant.
2. It should not absorb moisture.
3. It should be free from impurities.
4. It should be thermally stable.
5. It should be non-sludging.
6. It should have high permittivity.
7. It should be free from fire hazards.
8. It should not have the tendency of emulsification with water.
Transformer Oil
Transformer oil is a liquid insulator and is mainly used in transformers. It is filled into
transformer tank to serve the following purposes
• To transfer the heat generated inside the transformer core and windings, to the outer
cooling surfaces.
• To maintain insulation in the primary and secondary windings
Transformer Oil
Transformer oil is a liquid insulator and is mainly used in transformers. It is filled into
transformer tank to serve the following purposes
To transfer the heat generated inside the transformer core and windings, to the outer
cooling surfaces.
To maintain insulation in the primary and secondary windings

A good transformer oil should possess Below characteristics

Bubble Theory for Breakdown of Liquid Insulation It explains that the breakdown
occurs due to formation of vapour bubble in liquid. The formation of bubble may
because due to gas pockets on the surface of electrodes, irregular electrode surfaces,
change in temperature and pressure etc.

This theory suggests that the bubble breakdown strength (i.e. electric field)
Eb in a gas bubble which is immersed in a liquid of permittivity εL, is given by

where E0 is field in the liquid in absence of bubble