The Science behind Si-COAT RTV Silicone High Voltage Insulator Coating

With its introduction to the market nearly 20 years ago, SiCOAT was the first to offer the user a number of previously
unavailable benefits.
The greatest of these benefits was Si-COATs superior adhesion to the
insulator surface. Thus, in the extreme case where infrequent water
washing was still required to keep the coating performing optimally,
Si-COAT would not come away from the insulator. This was not the
case with Si-COATs leading competitor.
But since those early days the competition has learned, and
outstanding adhesion of room temperature vulcanizing (RTV)
coatings to insulators remains an innovation and benefit first brought
to the market by Si-COAT.
Perhaps less obvious but more significant an advantage, Si-COAT
offered the user superior electrical characteristics. Such performance
yielded enhanced hydrophobicity, quicker hydrophobic recovery after
water immersion (such as after heavy rainfall) and far greater
leakage current suppression than could be found in the competitors
product. These superior attributes were achieved through the
identification and patenting of the optimum particle size of a key
ingredient called alumina trihydrate (ATH).
The attributes of Si-COAT are based on two decades of R&D by CSL
Silicones Inc. in the field of RTV technology. Besides its patented
Tested in the Lab and in the Field
formulation, Si-COAT RTV derives its characteristics from a
proprietary process of manufacturing the silicone polymer. All
engineering behind Si-COAT was undertaken independently and done in-house.
Even as the competition introduces PLUS or Next Generation versions of their RTV coatings, they still cannot
match the superior performance of Si-COAT. The reason for this lies in the patented discovery and the finely
tuned manufacturing processes behind Si-COAT.

How Si-COAT RTV Silicone HVIC Functions

The purpose of an RTV coating for high voltage insulators is to suppress the evolution of leakage current.
Leakage current develops along contaminated or dirty insulators. As the contaminant (typically carbon deposits,
desert sand, industrial pollution or, most notoriously, salt deposits from coastal exposure) settles on the
insulator surface and combines with environmental moisture (rain, fog or dew), an electrically conductive
solution is formed.
Obviously, the primary function of an insulator is to prevent the flow of electricity from the conductor to the
tower and down to ground. One can imagine, then, if there exists an electrically conductive fluid on the surface
of an insulator, that insulators function is compromised.
It is very common for insulators to become contaminated in the manner described above. When this happens,
small amounts of electricity leak out of the conductor and along the body of the insulator. This is what is called
leakage current. If leakage current becomes too great, there is a short circuit as electricity flows directly out of
the conductor and straight to ground. What ensues is a power outage and extensive equipment damage.
The development of leakage current is reduced by coating the insulator. In the case of Si-COAT, leakage current
is nearly eliminated entirely. When the insulator has been coated and the RTV silicone has fully cured, there
remains within the body of the coating small chain, low molecular weight silicone (LMWS) polymer that is free to
move around within the body of the coating. Different manufacturers will have varying amounts of this LMWS in

the coating. Studies under electron microscopes have revealed Si-COAT to have the greatest concentrations of
LMWS.

Figure 1: Electron microscopic scan A depicting

of LMWS in Si-COAT versus scan B for the leading competitor

the

very

rich

and

even

concentration

How Si-COAT RTV Silicone HVIC Functions

It is the LMWS in the coating that plays a very essential role in the function of the coating. Two key properties of
LMWS to bear in mind are its very high dielectric strength (i.e. high electrical insulation properties) and very low
surface free energy. It is a common phenomenon that microscopic matter existing in a high concentration in one
area but in a low concentration in another area will migrate from the area of higher concentration to that of
lower concentration. This is termed diffusion. Because the concentration of LMWS is greater within the body of
the coating than at the surface of the coating, there is a natural tendency for the microscopic LMWS to diffuse to
the surface of the coating. But, since the surface free energy of LMWS is so low, it exists only in a monolayer on
the coating surface. That is to say, when the LMWS migrates to the coating surface, it stops migrating when the
surface is covered in a one molecule thick layer of LMWS.

Figure 2: A microscopic monolayer of LMWS covers the surface of Si-COAT

How Si-COAT RTV Silicone HVIC Functions

When an insulator has been coated with RTV silicone, contaminants from the surroundings deposit directly onto
the surface of the coating and rest on the monolayer of LMWS. Again, because of its very low surface free
energy, the LMWS begins to creep over the contaminant particle until it is fully encapsulated in a monolayer of
LMWS.

Figure 3: Contaminant particles that land on the coating surface are quickly microencapsulated by the monolayer of
LMWS in Si-COAT
At this point, when moisture from the environment collects on the surface of the contaminated insulator, the
contamination particles are isolated from the water droplets. This fact, combined with the very high dielectric
strength of LMWS means an electrically conductive solution cannot form along the surface of the insulator.

Figure 4: Water droplets are isolated and electrically insulated from contaminants by virtue of Si-COATs LMWS
If rainfall is heavy, the contaminants will be washed away. In some instances, the monolayer of LMWS will also
be washed away. In this situation, the LMWS from within the body of the Si-COAT layer again diffuses to the
surface to regenerate the monolayer.

Silicones Weakness Under High Voltage Applications

Despite the very positive electrical characteristics of silicones and LMWS in general, when they are put into
service under high voltage circumstances, they do show one key weakness. It is common in high voltage
applications for a phenomenon called dry band arcing to take place. Dry band arcing occurs when the body of
an insulator is covered in moisture, say, by dew or fog formation. By virtue of the electrical current running
through the conductor on a transmission or distribution line, the end of the insulator connected to the conductor
is at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature. This situation creates a dry band along the insulator.
Across this dry band, small sparks will jump, or arc, giving rise to the phenomenon called dry band arcing.
The sparks formed in dry band arcing are at an exceptionally high temperature. Although this temperature spike
is of a very short duration, it is enough to damage any RTV silicone rubber. The type of damage that occurs is
scarring and pitting of the silicone. Such damage can act detrimentally to the coatings performance.
To overcome the damage, silicones for high voltage applications
must contain an ingredient called alumina trihydrate (ATH). ATH
is a very small particle that is incorporated into the silicone
formulation. The granules of ATH are composed of numerous
atoms of aluminum each attached to three hydrate (OH)
molecules. On heating to 200C, a temperature surpassed by the
heat of dry band arcing, the granules of ATH will decompose into
66% alumina and 34% water. However, this water is generated
only from the microscopic ATH particles at the surface of the
overall ATH particle. Of course, within the depth of the particle,
hydrate molecules also exist. However, it is not always possible
for these hydrate molecules to escape when subjected to high
temperatures. The greater the size of the ATH granule, the
greater is this likelihood.

Figure 5: A dry band is formed at the end

of the insulator closest to the conductor.
Across this dry band sparks will jump that
can damage a silicone without ATH in its
formulation

It is the generation of water molecules from ATH that protects

silicone from the damaging effects of dry band arcing. The heat
energy of dry band arcing is first, partially absorbed by the ATH in
generating the water molecule and second, further absorbed by
the water molecules themselves. Water has a very high capacity
for absorbing heat.
Now that the mechanics of how the RTV coating functions and the
inherent weakness of silicones in high voltage applications have
been described, it is pertinent to discuss ATH in greater detail.

ATH: An Essential Ingredient in High Voltage Silicones

The secret of ATH is actually not so secret at all. All high grade silicones for high voltage applications contain ATH
in varying amounts and of various particle sizes. But, because a manufacturer can formulate their silicone with
varying loadings of ATH or choose a specific ATH particle size, not all high voltage RTV coatings are created
equal.
Through their research, the engineers and chemists at CSL discovered there, in fact, exists an optimum size of
ATH particle and an optimum loading of ATH in the silicone formulation.
A solid particle of ATH has a specific gravity of 2.42. Imagine 1 kg of ATH. If this ATH existed in one abnormally
large spherical particle, that particle would have a volume of 413 cm3 and a corresponding surface area of 268
cm2.
Imagine, instead, that 1 kg of ATH existing in 10 equally sized smaller spheres. Each of those spheres would
then have an individual volume of 41.3 cm3 and a corresponding individual surface area of 57.8cm2. What is
interesting to note, however, are the collective properties of the 10 spheres. All 10 spheres taken together still
have a volume of 413 cm3 as did the single large sphere. However, the 10 spheres have a collective surface area

of 578 cm2. This is substantially greater than the surface area of the one large sphere! As you can imagine, the
smaller and more numerous that the ATH particles become, the greater the overall surface area becomes even
though the collective volume (or mass) remains constant.

Figure 6: An equal mass or volume of ATH in a smaller particle size has a greater surface area
A greater surface area of ATH is beneficial, in part. Recall from above, the water generated by ATH comes
essentially from the surface of the particle. Thus, a primary positive effect of employing very fine ATH particles is
that greater quantities of water will be generated in order to keep the silicone protected. Yet, at the same time,
as the ATH particle gets finer it has a secondary negative effect.

13 Microns: The Optimum ATH Particle Size

As was previously described, the finer the ATH particle, the greater total surface area. Although this has an
apparent benefit, it also has a detrimental effect when incorporated into high voltage RTV silicone coatings. As
the LMWS floats freely within the body of the coating, it requires a free and clear path in order to quickly migrate
to the surface of the coating where it can perform its essential functions. By employing too fine an ATH particle
in the RTV formulation, these pathways for the LMWS become blocked and tortuous, making it rather difficult for
the LMWS to migrate to the coating surface. However, if the particle size of the ATH is increased, the LMWS
pathways remain relatively straight. Dont forget, though, with an increased ATH particle size what is being
traded off is the ATHs capacity to generate water to protect the silicone in the event of dry band arcing.

Figure 7: The optimized and patented ATH particle size in Si-COAT imparts far superior performance
characteristics when compared to the leading competitors products