Effect of Surface Charge in Hydrophobicity of Insulating Material and Decay of Surface Voltage after Corona Charging

This paper presented the effects of accumulation of surface charges on hydrophobicity level and the surface states of silicone polymer used for outdoor insulator treated by ultraviolet irradiation and corona discharge through measuring surface voltage decay of a corona-charged specimen were investigated. The surface resistivity by the method of the surface potential decay was compared with the value by the three electrodes methods. From this study, it was found that the accumulation of surface charges above a critical surface voltage on silicone insulating materials could lead to the temporary loss of surface hydrophobicity. In addtion, uv stress lead to a longer decay time of surface charges. We could conclude that the effects of surface charges on hydrophocity level and the changes of surface state by various artificial treatments were understood through a trend of surface potential decay.