Highlights milestone developments in degradable, recyclable, and self-healing insulating materials for the power industry
The global transition toward low-carbon and sustainable energy systems has placed electrical insulating materials at the forefront of research and application. As essential components in electrical and electronic engineering, insulating materials determine not only the efficiency and reliability of power equipment but also its environmental footprint. Yet, traditional insulating systems face significant challenges—resource depletion, pollution, and limited recyclability—that are increasingly incompatible with global climate and sustainability goals.
Next-Generation Electrical Insulating Materials:Low-Carbon, Eco-Friendly, and Sustainable Solutions systematically addresses solid, liquid, and gas insulating materials in the context of sustainability. Covering fundamental insulating, dielectric, thermal, and mechanical properties, contributions from leading experts explore recent breakthroughs in degradable, recyclable, and self-healing materials. The book provides detailed evaluations of material innovations and their practical implications for the safe operation of electrical systems. Dedicated chapters on plastics, resins, rubbers, paper, oils, and gases are accompanied by critical examinations of current challenges and a discussion of future directions of the field.
Blending foundational theory and cutting-edge advances to illustrate how insulating materials can support the energy transition and drive innovation in sustainable power systems, Next-Generation Electrical Insulating Materials:
- Introduces a systematic framework linking material properties with low-carbon performance requirements
- Highlights six categories of insulating materials with breakthrough developments in greener alternatives
- Provides multi-dimensional evaluation methods for optimizing material performance in real-world conditions
- Examines synergistic improvements of green insulating materials in power equipment
- Offers detailed prospects for innovation, from recyclable designs to advanced degradable materials
Both an introductory resource and an advanced reference across multiple engineering disciplines, Next-Generation Electrical Insulating Materials:Low-Carbon, Eco-Friendly, and Sustainable Solutions is essential reading for graduate students, researchers, and engineers in electrical engineering, materials science, and polymer chemistry. It is well-suited for courses in Electrical Materials and Insulation Technology at master’s and doctoral levels, and is a valuable reference for professionals in the power, electronics, and chemical industries.
Table of Contents:
Preface xv
1 Overview of Development of Insulating Materials 1
Wenye Zhang and Jun-Wei Zha
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Historical Evolution of Insulating Materials 2
1.3 Modern Insulating Materials and Current Challenges 10
1.4 Toward Green and Smart Insulating Materials 14
1.5 Summary and Outlook 20
2 Key Issues of Conventional Insulating Materials 27
Yang Zhang and Jun-Wei Zha
2.1 Introduction 27
2.2 Key Issues in Conventional Solid Insulation 28
2.3 Key Issues in Conventional Liquid Insulation 32
2.4 Key Issues in Conventional Gas Insulation 34
2.5 Eco-Cycling Requirements for Conventional Insulation Materials 36
3 Characteristics and Types of Green Insulating Materials 41
Baoquan Wan and Jun-Wei Zha
3.1 Introduction 41
3.2 Green Solid Insulating Materials for Power Cables and Accessories 43
3.3 Green Liquid Insulating Materials for Transformers and Dielectric Fluids 47
3.4 Green Gaseous Insulating Materials for Switchgear and Gas-Insulated Equipment 51
3.5 Green Insulating Materials in Electronics and Specialty Applications 55
3.6 Conclusion and Outlook 58
4 Milestone of Insulating Plastics 65
Wenye Zhang, Hongzhe Zhang, and Jun-Wei Zha
4.1 Introduction 65
4.2 Development and Evolution of Traditional Insulating Plastics 66
4.3 Development of Next-Generation Insulating Plastics 75
4.4 Conclusion and Outlook 94
5 Milestone of Insulating Resin 101
Yang Zhang and Jun-Wei Zha
5.1 Introduction 101
5.2 Bio-Based Insulating Resins 102
5.3 Self-Healing Insulating Resins 109
5.4 Recyclable/Degradable Insulating Resins 116
5.5 Conclusions and Outlook 126
6 Environmental Degradation and Novel Development of Electrical Silicone Rubber Materials 133
Wang Xilin, Shen Zikui, Jia Zhidong, and Wang Liming
6.1 Aging and Failure Issues of Silicone Rubber Materials Under Harsh Extreme Conditions 133
6.2 Research and Development of Advanced Silicone Rubber Materials 144
6.3 Conclusion and Outlook 156
7 The Evolution of Insulating Paper: Bio-Based and Circular Solutions for High-Performance Electrical Insulation 161
Junwen Ren, Jiacheng Zhang, Zi Wang, Junxue Chen, and Lin Zhang
7.1 The Enduring Legacy of Conventional Insulating Papers 161
7.2 New-Generation Raw Materials: Advanced Bio-Based and Nanostructured Materials 177
7.3 Green Manufacturing and Circular Economy Framework: From Material Innovation to Systemic Sustainability 187
7.4 Application Frontiers and Future Perspectives of Aramid-Based Insulating Paper 197
8 Eco-Friendly Ester-Based Insulating Oils: Toward a Sustainable Future in Power Systems 211
Feipeng Wang
8.1 Introduction 211
8.2 Types and Feedstocks 215
8.3 Physicochemical and Electrical Properties 221
8.4 Environmental and Sustainability Assessment 230
8.5 Engineering Applications and Case Studies 239
8.6 Future Directions and Research Needs 247
8.7 Conclusion 256
9 Multi-Dimensional Evaluation, Optimization, and Operating Condition Evolution Characteristics of Eco-Friendly Insulating Gas Performance 269
Song Xiao, Yi Li, and Shengyao Shi
9.1 Introduction 269
9.2 Multi-Dimensional Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Insulating Gases 270
9.3 Eco-Friendly Gas-Insulation Synergy Mechanism and Formulation Optimization 277
9.4 Eco-Friendly Insulating Gas State Evolution Mechanism 304
10 Synergistic Improvement of the Performance of Green Insulating Materials in Power Equipment 319
Kangning Wu, Ge Zhao, and Jianying Li
10.1 Preface 319
10.2 Modification Methods of Polypropylene 320
10.3 Modification Methods of Epoxy 336
10.4 Summary 350
10.5 Conclusions 350
11 Prospects and Innovation of Green Insulating Materials 357
Jun-Wei Zha and Baoquan Wan
11.1 Introduction 357
11.2 Solid Insulating Materials: Toward Sustainable Dielectrics 358
11.3 Liquid Insulating Materials: Green Dielectric Fluids 366
11.4 Gaseous Insulating Materials: Toward SF6-Free Solutions 369
11.5 Innovation Pathways 372
11.6 Conclusion and Perspectives 375
References 377
Index 381
About the Author :
Jun-Wei Zha is a Professor at the North China Electric Power University, China. His research focuses on the electrical and thermal properties of dielectric and insulating polymer materials. He has received multiple awards, including the first prize in Natural Science from the Ministry of Education and the Beijing Science and Technology Award. A Fellow of IET and Senior Member of IEEE, he contributes actively as an editor for several leading journals and serves on international technical committees and professional societies.
