PENGARUH POLUTAN INDUSTRI TERHADAP KINERJA MEKANIS BAHAN ISOLASI RESIN BERPENGISI SILICONE RUBBER DAN RICE HUSK ASH ( Abu Sekam Padi )

Abstract

Polymers have been investigated by many researchers in order to find high performance insulator formula for specific uses. Polymers can play a significant role as insulating media because of their excellent physical and chemical properties. Polymeric insulators are increasingly being used in both distribution and transmission voltage ranges and steadily capture a wider share of the world market. On the other hand, polymers, such as epoxy resin have some disadvantages. It is very sensitive if it is used in high temperature, very humid, or area with high intensity of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, like in Indonesia. In Gresik cement industry, there were many insulators failed because the surfaces were contaminated by salty pollution layer and they were wet. This research was a laboratory study to investigate mechanical performance of insulation material made from epoxy resin contaminated with artificial industrial pollution. Test material of epoxy resin was made from diglycidyl ether of bishphenol A (DGEBA) as base material, methaphenylene diamine (MPDA) as curing agent, silicone rubber and rice husk ash (RHA) as filler. The dimension of test material was 70 mm x 70mm x 5 mm. Ratio of DGEBA to MPDA was 1:1, while filler was varied from 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of total weight of test material. This research was to identify the influences of filler that influenced in accelerated ageing on performance of epoxy resin isolation material consisting of mechanical strength and hard value number of the surface. The results of the research indicated that mechanical tensile strength of test material after accelerated ageing was better than before accelerated ageing for all filler compositions but hard value of test material before accelerated ageing was better than after accelerated ageing for all filler compositions.