review · Heliyon
Cross-linked polyethylene serves as a standard insulation material in high-voltage power cables due to its low dielectric loss, high dielectric constant, and thermal stability. Enhancing these properties remains essential to resolve challenges including electrical tree growth, breakdown voltage limits, structural defects, space charge accumulation, and thermal ageing. Nanoparticles with large specific surface areas, such as boron nitride nanosheets and graphene oxide, provide dense trapping sites at low loading levels through their interfacial regions. In parallel, voltage stabilisers containing polar groups capture high-energy electrons produced by localised electric fields, which halts the development of electrical trees. Furthermore, incorporating antioxidants that feature phenolic groups neutralises peroxyl radicals to prevent degradation. Combining these additives with polymer amalgamation strategies offers established routes to improve the overall dielectric performance and operational endurance of cable insulation systems.
High-voltage power cables are fundamental infrastructure for the reliable and secure distribution of electricity. Enhancing the insulating materials inside these cables prevents electrical breakdown, mitigates heat damage, and slows down structural wear. Improvements in material durability support more resilient electrical grids by reducing insulation failures, extending cable lifespans, and ensuring continuous energy delivery across power transmission networks.
The reviewed approaches are relevant to manufacturers of high-voltage power cables and advanced polymer compounders seeking to improve insulation reliability. By incorporating specific nanofillers, voltage stabilisers, and antioxidants, producers could develop cables with greater resistance to electrical and thermal breakdown. Because this work synthesises research on additive formulations rather than presenting a finished product, the underlying technology represents early-stage to applied material development requiring further industrial testing and processing scale-up.
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Throughout the history of power systems, power cables have been used to securely and efficiently distribute electrical energy to the destined locations. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), a commonly used insulator in high-voltage cables, have several desirable properties, such as low dielectric loss, high dielectric constant, high thermal conductivity, enhanced thermal stability, and superior resistance against electrical stress. However, further improvements of XLPE's performance are needed. The incorporation of large specific surface area nanoparticles, such as boron nitride nanosheets and graphene oxide, exhibited a great potential in enhancing XLPE's properties. These nanoparticles create numerous trapping sites, even at small loading levels, due to their large interfacial regions. In addition, voltage stabilisers with polar groups can scavenge high-energy electrons generated by local electric fields, thereby inhibiting the electrical tree growth. Another important aspect of enhancing XLPE's dielectric performance is the inclusion of antioxidants with phenolic groups. These antioxidants react with peroxyl radicals, mitigating their harmful effects. This review summarises the effects of nanoparticles, voltage stabilisers, antioxidants, and polymer amalgamation on dielectric performance of XLPE as an insulation material. The major challenges in dielectric insulation such as breakdown voltage strength, electrical tree growth, structural defect, space charge accumulation, and thermal aging are addressed.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34737
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