New Polymer Construction Materials for Applications

in Electrical Engineering

Zenon Tartakowski, Katarzyna Cimander Jan Bursa

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics Faculty of Electrical Engineering
West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin
Szczecin, Poland Szczecin, Poland
[email protected], [email protected]
[email protected]

Abstract—Polymeric materials and composites on their possibilities of using them as a modifier of other plastics with
matrix are increasingly used in the electronics and the participation of glass fillers [4]. Previous studies of
electrotechnical industry, mainly as insulating elements, polymer composites with PVB recyclate have shown their
construction and housing electronic equipment. Modification of beneficial effect on the electrical properties of modified
classic plastics using fillers and polymer recyclate allows the materials [5]. Application materials for electro-construction
production of new composite materials with good electrical, products, in addition to the requirements of electrical
exploitive and processing properties. It also creates opportunities properties, good mechanical and processing properties are
for the rational use of recyclates generated from waste. The necessary. Based on research of PVB and PP composites and
article describes the electrical properties of the new polymeric
literature information, they were additionally modified using
composites of polypropylene (PP), recycled of polyvinyl butyral
fine-spread glass fillers in the form of glass microbeads (GB)
(PVB rec), and fillers such as glass microspheres (GB) and glass
powder (GP). On the basis of studies, the potential use of new and glass powder (GP) [6-9]. The aim of the research was to
materials in electronics and electrical engineering were determine the properties of new composite materials based on
determined. PVB technological waste and glass fillers in the aspect of their
application on the products of the electronics and
Keywords—electrical properties; polymer composites; electrotechnical industries. For this purpose, the produced
PVB; recycling glass powder glass microbeads composite materials were tested to electrical properties,
including the determination of the electrical strength, electrical
I. INTRODUCTION resistivity, resistance to tracking, low-power electrical arc and
the electrostatic charge decay time.
Currently 6% of plastics and composites on their matrix
produced in Europe (more than 2, 800, 000 tonnes) are used in Considering the high demand of the electrotechnical
electronics and electrotechnical industry [1]. This is due to industry for the products, aging tests of materials in the HHC
their low specific gravity (design considerations) preferred climatic chamber were also made (humid hot constantly,
strength, electrical, processing properties, and the ability to temperature: 45°C, humidity: 97%) [10].
form products with complex shapes [2]. The study of the processing properties of composites was
The increasing use of plastics in various industrial sectors carried out, determining the melt volume-flow rate (MVR),
affects the increasing amount of waste generated, which, spiral test and contraction processing [11].
according to the principles of sustainable development, should The process of modification with the use of glass fillers in
be recycled and appropriately managed. Among many the form of glass powder and glass microbeads was subjected
polymeric materials with specific properties for special to PVB/PP materials, the properties of which were determined
applications (eg multi-layer glazing, photovoltaic panels, in earlier studies of authors regarding composites based on
construction), PVB (polyvinyl butyral) can be distinguished, PVB film waste [7].
the use of which is dynamically increasing, and the resulting
waste is to a small extent managed. The amount of waste
generated from this material is still increasing, which is related II. EXPERIMENTAL PART
to the growing production of glazing - safety glass (car
vehicles, construction). In Poland, the amount of safety glass A. Material and Methods
produced in 2015 was about 137 thousand. tonnes, which is The following were used for the production of new
2.2 times more than in 2010 [3]. composites:
PVB as a construction material is characterized by good • polypropylene (PP) Moplen HP 648T, LyondellBasell,
mechanical properties and high adhesion to glass. Therefore,
the waste of this material generated during the production of • technological PVB waste, from plant for the production
"safety glass" shows similar properties, which creates great of laminated glass (Glaspo),

978-1-5386-4669-4/18/$31.00 ©2018 European Union

 • glass powder derived from glass recycling (Rominex B. Results
company) with granulation 40÷100 ȝm (GP), (Fig. 1a), Selected test results allowing to determine the properties of
• glass microspheres from Furs, with granulation new polymer composites have been presented in graphical
40÷100 ȝm, (GB) (rys. 1b). form in Figs. 2-13. Whereas a different shape of glass fillers,
the electrical properties of composites on the same PVB/PP
matrix were compared. Previous studies on the structure of
composites using SEM microscopy showed good adhesion of
glass fillers to PVB [7].
Changes in the electrical strength of composites during the
aging process are presented in Fig. 2.3.

Fig. 1. Glass fillers (a) glass powder, (b) glass microbeads (optical
microscope, ×350).

The composites were made of the materials shown in

Table 1.

TABLE I. THE COMPOSITION OF THE TESTED MATERIALS

PVB (%) PP (%) GP (%) GB (%) Symbol
25 75 - - 25/75
50 50 - - 50/50
75 25 - - 75/25
25 65 10 - 10P
25 45 30 - 30P
25 25 50 - 50P Fig. 2. Influence of time (days) of the aging process in the HHC climate on
25 65 - 10 10B the changes in the electrical strength of PVB/PP composites (25%, 50%, 75%
25 45 - 30 30B PVB).
25 25 - 50 50B
Increasing the content of PVB in the composite resulted in
lower electrical strength.
Technological film waste was shredded, then mixed with
the remaining components of the composites and The comparison of the aging process of PVB/PP
homogenized using the Brabender blender at 200°C. The composites containing 25% PVB modified with a glass filler -
produced composites were granulated. Samples for testing glass powder and glass microbeads in the amount of 50% is
electrical properties were produced using a BOY 15 injection shown in Fig. 3.
molding machine (injection pressure: 75 MPa, injection
temperature: 190/200/210ºC).
Conducted material tests that allowed us to determine their
electrical properties [10]:
• electrical strength,
• volume resistivity,
• resistance to tracking,
• resistance to low power electric arc.
In order to determine changes in the properties of
composites during the exploitation process, samples for testing
were subjected to the aging process for a period of 40 days in
a climatic chamber HHC (temperature: 45°C, humidity: 97%).
Processing properties are characterized by the melt
volume-flow rate (MVR) in the temperature range 180÷200ºC Fig. 3. Effect of glass modifier (GP - glass powder, GB - glass microbeads)
at loads 1,2; 2.16; 3.36 kg and spiral test [11]. on the electrical strength of composites during the aging process (PVB - 25%
in composites).
For each test, three samples of each material were tested.
The tests were carried out in accordance with the applicable As the Fig. 3. shows, the type of filler used has little effect
PN-EN Standards [12-16]. on the electrical strength of the composites. It can be noticed
that along with the aging time, the electrical strength of the
material decreases.
The influence of the aging process in a climatic chamber
on the volume resistivity of PVB/PP composites is shown in
Fig.4.

Fig. 6. View of signs on PVB/PP composites after tracking currents: (a) 0%

GP, (b) 10% GP, (c) 30% GP, (d) 50% GP (25% PVB).

In the case of composites containing up to 30% by weight

of glass powder (GP), there were no clear sign of tracking
Fig. 4. The influence of the aging process on the volume resistivity of
currents, while at 50% of the GP content one could notice
PVB/PP composites (25%, 50%, 75% PVB). visible signs on the sample. Similar effects of tracking
currents occurred for materials subjected to the aging process.
The volume resistivity of PVB/PP composites was reduced All tested composites showed resistance to tracking currents.
as the PVB content in the composite increased (Fig. 4). There The study of resistance to electric arc low power included
was also a decrease in its value as a result of the aging determination the time of formation of conductive path or
process. material destruction and the kinetics of the formation of the
Comparison of the volume resistivity of PVB/PP arc. Fig. 7 shows the influence of the aging process on arc
composites modified with a glass filler in the amount of 50% resistance for composites with different PVB contents.
subjected to the aging process in the HHC climate for a period Compares composites containing 50% various fillers (GP and
of 40 days is shown in Fig. 5. GB) for the formation of a conductive path or material
destruction is shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 7. The impact of the aging process on the low-power arc resistance of
Fig. 5. Comparison of volume resistivity of PVB/PP composites modified PVB/PP composites (25%, 50%, 75% PVB).
with glass powder and glass microbeads aged in the climate of WGS (25%
PVB).
The composition of composites does not significantly
affect their resistance to low power electric arc. Only
Modification of PVB/PP composites in 50% wt. caused
a modification with the glass powder in an amount of 50%,
a decrease in volume resistivity during the aging process as
resulted in a decrease in resistance of the tested materials. On
compared to unmodified composites (PVB/PP - 25/75).
average, the samples survived the arc for 190÷205 seconds.
The results of the tracking resistance test are presented in The aging process in the HHC climatic chamber also did not
graphical form in Fig. 6. affect arc resistance.
 d 1 1
(mm)

0 0

10 180
20 160
30 140
GB (% ) Time (s)
40 120

50 100

Fig. 11. Effect of GB on the kinetics of formation of an electric arc.

Fig. 8. Effect of glass modifier (GP - glass powder, GB - glass microbeads)
on the low power arc resistance during the aging process (25% PVB). With the increase in the content of the glass filler, the
depth of the deformation decreased, and larger changes taking
As a result of the impact of the electric arc on the surface place in the case of glass powder. This was due to the
of the material, surface deformation takes place at the location formation of a conductive path, which is the result of
of the arc. For the analysis of the arc influence the depth (d) of degradation of plastics. In the case of highly filled materials,
the resulting deformation was determined (Fig. 9). the arc moved only along a thin line without causing melting
of a large area of the sample.
The processing properties of the composites were
determined on the basis of the melt volume-flow rate (MVR)
(Figs. 12,13).

45 45

35 35
MVR
25 25
(cm3/10 min) (
15 15

5 5
3.5 20
3 30
40
2.5
50
Fig. 9. Surface deformation after the influence of an electric arc on 2
a PVB/PP composite (25/75). Load (kg) 60 PVB (% )
1.5 70

Effect of the low power electric arc on the modified with

glass powder and microbeads PVB/PP composites for
different exposure times (100, 150, 200 s) is shown in Figs. 10 Fig. 12. Effect of PVB content and load on MVR values (temperature:
180°C).
and 11.

MVR 10 10
d 1 1
(cm3/10 min)
(mm)

0 0
0 0
15
20 195
10 180 25
20 160 30 190
35
30 140 PVB (% ) T (oC)
GP (% ) Time (s) 40 185
40 120 45
50 180
50 100
Fig. 13. Effect of glass powder (GP) content and temperature on MVR values
Fig. 10. Effect of GP on the kinetics of formation of an electric arc. (Load 1,2 kg).
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