Influence of Octene Level in EOC–PDMS Thermoplastic Vulcanizates for Cable Insulation Applications

ABSTRACT

Thermoplastic vulcanizates are prepared by blending ethylene–octene copolymer with polydimethylsiloxane rubber and dynamically cross-linking with dicumyl peroxide. From moving disc rheometer study, it is found that, as the octene content increases, the cross-linking efficiency of the peroxide to cross-link that particular ethylene–octene copolymer decreases. For ethylene–octene copolymer 8445 thermoplastic vulcanizates, as the blend composition changes from 50:50 to 80:20 ethylene–octene copolymer:polydimethylsiloxane, there is 116% increase in tensile strength which is correlated with the morphology study by atomic force microscopy. All the different ethylene–octene copolymer:polydimethylsiloxane thermoplastic vulcanizates exhibited lower dielectric constant and higher electrical resistivity which makes it suitable for the cable insulating applications.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Atomic force microscopy
• dielectric properties
• ethylene–octene copolymer
• octene level
• thermoplastic vulcanizates

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr A.G. Jineesh, Mr Kumar Sankaran, and Mr Pranab Dey for their valuable discussion and support.