Experimental Study on the Failures of FRP Rods Used in Composite Insulators

The damage to polymer housing and the interface between housing and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) rod in an in-service composite insulator is possible. If this happens, it will expose FRP rod to omnipresent environmental stresses like corona, humidity, thermal, ultraviolet (UV), fog/rain/moisture, corrosion, etc., along with electrical stress. Research activities were leaned outpost introduction of boron-free electrical corrosion resistance (ECR)-type FRP rods. Recent reporting of decay like a fracture on ECR-type FRP rods necessitates the performance study on FRP rods used in composite insulators. Accordingly, experimental investigations are performed to study the effect on corona-induced degradation, accelerated aging using a rotating wheel, and multiple stresses consisting of humidity, UV, thermal, and electrical. Material analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-rays (EDX) analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy are performed. Results obtained have confirmed damage to epoxy resins part of the FRP rod, thereby exposing glass fibers.