Novel micro‐capsule‐doped insulating material with hydrophobicity transfer capability triggered by creepage discharge

Abstract The lack of hydrophobicity transfer capability has restricted the applications of insulating materials in environments with heavy contamination. In this study, an epoxy resin insulating composite was prepared using a micro‐capsule system to achieve hydrophobicity transfer triggered by creepage discharge. The influence of the micro‐capsules on the electrical properties of insulating materials and the hydrophobicity of the test samples before and after the creepage discharge test was analysed. The results show that the poly(urea‐formaldehyde) micro‐capsules, which contained hydrogen silicone oil, have good morphology and thermal stability characteristics at temperatures below 222°C. Micro‐capsules have minor effects on the electrical properties of epoxy insulating materials. Further, the hydrophobicity transfer capability of the test piece was improved considerably compared with that of the pure epoxy insulating material. This study expands the application of micro‐capsule technology in the field of insulating materials and provides a reference for the development of next‐generation insulating materials.