Electrical insulation system based on poly(dicyclopentadiene)

1. Electrical high-voltage insulation system, suitable for use as a high-voltage insulation for outdoor use, comprising:

a filler material or a mixture of filler materials and optionally further additives, wherein said filler material or said mixture of filler materials has an average grain size, of at least 50% of the grains, in the range of from about 1.0 μm to 200 μm, and is present in an amount of from 5% to 85% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation system, and

poly(dicyclopentadiene) as the main component,

wherein said electrical insulation system contains at least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of such compounds comprising flowable fluorinated or chlorinated hydrocarbons which contain —CH 2 — units, —CHF— units, —CF 2 — units, —CF 3 -units, —CHCl— units, —C(Cl) 2 — units, —C(Cl) 3 — units, or mixtures thereof; or a cyclic, linear or branched flowable organopolysiloxane, wherein said hydrophobic compound optionally is present in encapsulated form.

2. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) has been obtained by polymerizing dicyclopenta-diene, or a low molecular weight oligomeric poly(dicyclopentadiene) resin thereof, in the presence of a suitable metathesis ring-opening catalyst.

3. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) contains at least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of such compounds in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation system.

4. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) contains at least one filler material or a mixture of such filler materials, and at least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of such compounds in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, each calculated to the total weight of the insulation system.

5. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) has been produced by polymerization of dicyclo-pentadiene in the presence of a metathesis-catalyst system.

6. Electrical insulation system according to claim 5 , wherein the amount of catalyst added is 0.1-0.5% by weight.

7. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the insulator system contains at least one filler material or a mixture of such filler materials selected from the group consisting of natural purified sands; silicon oxides and hydroxides; aluminum oxides and hydroxides; titanium oxides and hydroxides; zinc oxides and hydroxides; silicates; mineral carbonates; and geopolymers.

8. Electrical insulation system according to claim 7 , wherein the mineral filler compound or the mixture of such compounds have an average grain size, of at least 50% of the grains, in the range of from 1 μm to 100 μm.

9. Electrical insulation system according to claim 7 , wherein the mineral filler material or the mixture of the filler materials is present in an amount in the range of from 40% to 80% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation.

10. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic compound has a viscosity in the range from 50 cSt to 10,000 cSt, measured in accordance with DIN 53 019 at 20° C.

11. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic compound corresponds to the general formula (II):

in which

R independently of each other is an unsubstituted or chlorinated or fluorinated alkyl radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, (C 1 -C 4 -alkyl)aryl, or aryl;

R 1 independently at each occurrence has one of the definitions of R or R 2 , it being possible for two terminal substituents R 1 attached to different Si atoms, being taken together to be an oxygen atom;

R 2 has one of the definitions of R, or is hydrogen or a radical -(A) r -CH═CH 2 ;

A is a radical —C s H 2s —, where

s is an integer from 1 to 6;

r is zero or one;

m is on average from zero to 5000;

n is on average from zero to 100;

the sum of [m+n] for non-cyclic compounds being at least 20, and the sequence of the groups —[Si(R)(R)O]— and —[Si(R 1 )(R 2 )O]— in the molecule being arbitrary.

12. Electrical insulation system according to claim 11 , wherein a compound of the formula (II) is used, wherein R independently of each other is an unsubstituted or fluorinated alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or phenyl; A is a radical —(CH 2 )—, m is on average from 20 to 5000; n is on average from 2 to 100; the sum of [m+n] for non-cyclic compounds being on average in the range from 20 to 5000, and the sequence of the groups —[Si(R)(R)O]— and —[Si(R 1 )(R 2 )O]— in the molecule being arbitrary.

13. Electrical insulation system according to claim 11 , wherein a compound of the formula (II) is used, wherein R independently of each other is 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, monofluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, or alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms; A is a radical —(CH 2 )—; m is on average from 50 to 1500; n is on average from 2 to 20; the sum of [m+n] for non-cyclic compounds being on average in the range from 50 to 1500, and the sequence of the groups —[Si(R)(R)O]— and —[Si(R 1 )(R 2 )O]— in the molecule being arbitrary.

14. Electrical insulation system according to claim 11 , wherein the compound of the formula (II) is a cyclic compound comprising 4-12 —[Si(R)(R)O]— units or —[Si(R 1 )(R 2 )O]— units or a mixture of these units.

15. Electrical insulation system according to claim 11 , wherein the compound of the formula (II) is added in an amount of from 0.1% to 10%, calculated to the weight of dicyclopentadiene monomer.

16. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of pigments, antioxidants, light stabilizers and polymeric modifiers.

17. Electrical insulation system according to claim 16 , wherein the antioxidant is a phenolic or amine antioxidant, and is added in a concentration of up to 1.5% by weight calculated to the total weight of the composition.

18. Electrical insulation system according to claim 16 , wherein the polymeric modifier is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, butyl rubber, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyisobutylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer, styrene-isoprenestyrene copolymer and ethylene-propylene copolymer.

19. Electrical insulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said electrical insulation system is suitable for use for outdoor insulators associated with high-voltage lines, as long-rod, composite or cap-type insulators, for base insulators in a medium-voltage sector, insulators associated with outdoor power switches, measuring transducers, leadthroughs, or overvoltage protectors, in switchgear construction, in power switches, dry-type transformers, or electrical machines.

20. Electrical articles containing the electrical insulation system according to claim 1 .

21. Electrical insulation system according to claim 4 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) has been produced by polymerization of dicyclopentadiene in the presence of a metathesis-catalyst system.

22. Electrical insulation system according to claim 4 , wherein the insulator system contains at least one filler material or a mixture of such filler materials selected from the group consisting of natural purified sands; silicon oxides and hydroxides; aluminum oxides and hydroxides; titanium oxides and hydroxides; zinc oxides and hydroxides; silicates; mineral carbonates; and geopolymers.

23. Electrical insulation system according to claim 8 , wherein the mineral filler material or the mixture of the filler materials is present in an amount of from 40% to 80% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation.

24. Electrical insulation system according to claim 7 , wherein said electrical insulation system contains at least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of such compounds selected from the group consisting of flowable fluorinated or chlorinated hydrocarbons which contain —CH 2 — units, —CHF— units, —CF 2 — units, —CF 3 — units, —CHCl— units, —C(Cl) 2 — units, —C(Cl) 3 — units, or mixtures thereof; and a cyclic, linear or branched flowable organopolysiloxane, wherein said hydrophobic compound optionally is present in encapsulated form.

25. Electrical insulation system according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of pigments, antioxidants, light stabilizers and polymeric modifiers.

26. Electrical insulation system according to claim 2 , wherein said electrical insulation system is suitable for use for outdoor insulators associated with high-voltage lines, as long-rod, composite or cap-type insulators, for base insulators in a medium-voltage sector, insulators associated with outdoor power switches, measuring transducers, leadthroughs, or overvoltage protectors, in switchgear construction, in power switches, dry-type transformers, or electrical machines, coating materials for transistors or other semiconductor elements and/or to impregnate electrical components.

27. Electrical articles comprising the electrical insulation system according to claim 2 .

28. Method of making an electrical insulation system as defined in claim 1 , by (i) mixing dicyclopentadiene monomer or a low molecular weight oligomeric poly(dicyclopentadiene) resin thereof, a metathesis ring-opening catalyst, at least one hydrophobic compound, and any additive which optionally is present in any desired sequence, (ii) optionally applying the mixture obtained to the surface of a shaped article, and (iii) polymerizing the mixture.

29. Electrical insulation system according to claim 2 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) has been produced by polymerization of dicyclopentadiene in the presence of a metathesis-catalyst system.

30. Electrical insulation system according to claim 3 , wherein said poly(dicyclopentadiene) has been produced by polymerization of dicyclopentadiene in the presence of a metathesis-catalyst system.

31. An electrical insulation system, comprising:

a filler material or a mixture of filler materials and optionally further additives,

wherein said filler material or said mixture of filler materials has an average grain size, of at least 50% of the grains, in the range of from about 1.0 μm to 200 μm, and is present in an amount of from 5% to 85% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation system, and wherein the insulator system contains at least one filler material or a mixture of such filler materials selected from the group consisting of natural purified sands; silicon oxides and hydroxides; aluminum oxides and hydroxides; titanium oxides and hydroxides; zinc oxides and hydroxides; silicates; mineral carbonates; and geopolymers,

and poly(dicyclopentadiene) as the main component,

wherein said electrical insulation system contains at least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of such compounds comprising flowable fluorinated or chlorinated hydrocarbons which contain —CH 2 — units, —CHF— units, —CF 2 — units, —CF 3 — units, —CHCl— units, —C(Cl) 2 — units, —C(Cl) 3 — units, or mixtures thereof; or a cyclic, linear or branched flowable organopolysiloxane, wherein said hydrophobic compound optionally is present in encapsulated form.

32. A method of making the electrical insulation system of claim 31 , the method comprising mixing dicyclopentadiene monomer or a low molecular weight oligomeric poly(dicyclopentadiene) resin thereof, along with a metathesis ring-opening catalyst and/or an additive in any desired sequence.