Nano ZnO/epoxy coating to promote surface charge dissipation on insulators in DC gas-insulated systems

This paper describes the addition of ZnO nanoparticles to epoxy resin at concentrations of 20, 25, and 30wt%, and the application of this ZnO/epoxy coating to the surface of an epoxy insulator. This coating significantly suppresses the charge accumulation on the surface of the insulator, reduces the number of charge speckles, and increases the flashover voltage. These effects are enhanced as the doping concentration of ZnO nanoparticles increases. Through isothermal surface potential decay tests, we find that the ZnO/epoxy coating introduces numerous shallow traps, which help to dissipate the surface charge. Analysis shows that the ZnO/epoxy coating promotes surface charge dissipation through its nonlinear conductivity. The nonlinear characteristics of the 30wt%-doped samples are 55.3% greater than those of the 20wt%-doped samples. The coating adapts to the external electric field and can achieve the effect of a uniform electric field. This article analyzes the feasibility of using ZnO/epoxy coatings to suppress the accumulation of charge on insulator surfaces, and provides a feasible solution for practical engineering applications.