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AbstractThe aging phenomenon of silicone rubber insulators can bring great safety risks for the stable operation of high-voltage transmission lines. To avoid the significant costs and prolonged downtime associated with completely replacing insulating equipment, our research described in this paper proposes a surface repair material for aged silicone rubber insulators using α, ω-dihydroxy-polydimethylsiloxane as the matrix. The material was, after preparation, uniformly applied to the surface of insulators that had been in grid operation for more than 14 years. The chemical structure, elemental composition and surface morphology of the insulator surfaces were characterized both before and after repair. Our research described here also examined the changes in mechanical properties, insulating resistivity, water repellency and adhesion strength of the insulators. The data showed that the functional group types and element contents on the surface of the repaired silicone rubber insulators were restored to those of the new insulators, and the surface and internal cracks were also effectively repaired. Moreover, the water-repellent, mechanical, and electrical properties underwent a notable enhancement. The robust adhesion between the repair material and the deteriorated surface resulted in the formation of a stable and robust adhesive interface. The results demonstrated that the materials created for the purpose of repair in our research had the capability to efficiently enhance the performance of aged insulators. Furthermore, we suggest this study presented a novel path toward addressing the predicament of aging insulation equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of polymer composites, considering the environmental issues, is aimed for minimizing the industrial content. New environmental-friendly nanocomposites, based on silicone rubber matrix and different concentrations of natural fiber/chromium oxide fillers, are prepared for the first time. The microstructural analysis confirms the successful obtaining of microfibers after treatment and chromium oxide nanoparticles and the formation of the final composite. The nanocomposites achieved improved physical and mechanical properties due to the dual effect of both fillers and attachment to the matrix. The 1% optimized nanocomposite achieved the highest modulus, dielectric properties, hydrophobicity, and surface stability. The effect of exposure to weathering conditions was studied. The characterization sentence asserts the preparation of a novel silicone rubber nanocomposite with improved properties, along with the environmental impact, regarding the dual effect of natural fiber waste and chromium oxide nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the feasibility of fabricating a dynamic foot prosthesis for lower knee amputees using a composite material composed of polypropylene (PP), fresh cow bone powder (FCBP), and silicon rubber (Si). Nine samples with variable compositions of these components were prepared and subjected to mechanical testing to evaluate their compression strength, elongation, factor of safety, impact energy, and energy storage efficiency. The results demonstrated that the innovative composite made up of 68% PP, 18% FCBP, and 14% Si has exhibited the highest foot energy storage efficiency of 67.83%, which is within the standards of 63–100%. Furthermore, the synthesised dynamic foot has obtained excellent mechanical properties and a maximum factor of safety of 2.71. Accordingly, this study proposes that the developed composite material has the potential to be utilised for the fabrication of dynamic foot prostheses, as it offers a set of improved mechanical properties and potentially enhances the mobility and quality of life for lower knee amputees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a synergistic effect with different structural fillers is an important strategy for improving the comprehensive properties of polymeric composites. To improve the comprehensive properties of two-component additive liquid silicon rubber (SR) materials used in electronics packaging, the synergistic effect of granular aluminum nitride (AlN) and tubular carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced SR nanocomposites was investigated. AlN/CNT/SR composites with different AlN/CNT ratios were fabricated with two-component additive liquid SR via the thermal curing technique, and the influence of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers on the hardness, strength, elongation at break, surface resistivity, thermal conductivity, and thermal decomposition was investigated in detail. With the incorporation of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers, the comprehensive properties of the obtained AlN/CNT/SR composites are better than those of the AlN/SR and CNT/SR composites. The synergistic thermal conductive mechanism of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers was proposed and demonstrated with the fractural surface morphology of the obtained composites. The obtained AlN/CNT/SR composites show promising applications in electronic packaging, where necessary mechanical strength, electrical insulating, thermal conductivity, and thermal stable materials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) with porous metal materials as the matrix and polymer materials as the reinforcement, which have a broad application prospect, have both the high strength of metal materials and the high energy absorption capacity of polymer materials. Entangled metallic wire materials are a new type of porous material with damping characteristics, which is an excellent choice for use as the matrix of IPCs. In the present work, a novel entangled metallic wire material–silicone rubber IPC is developed through the vacuum infiltration method with the entangled wire material as the matrix and silicone rubber as the reinforcing element. The mechanical properties (loss factor and tangent modulus) of the as-synthesized composites are characterized through compression tests. More specifically, the effects of key experimental parameters (strain) and material properties (matrix density, wire diameter, and anisotropy) on the mechanical properties of the composites are analyzed in detail. It is found that with the introduction of interfacial friction, the loss factor of the composites becomes higher than those of the pure entangled metallic wire material and silicone rubber; in particular, the tangent modulus is significantly enhanced. The complex structural characteristics of the proposed composite enable the loss factor and tangent modulus to exhibit a nonlinear relationship with the density over a range of displacement values. Moreover, the smaller the wire diameter is, the greater the loss factor of the composites is, while the tangent modulus exhibits the opposite trend. The unique wire contact form and preparation process endow the composites with nonlinear properties in the molding direction as well as pronounced anisotropy characteristics. A novel interpenetrating phase composite is proposed. The composite quasistatic curve is nonlinear with excellent mechanical properties. The improved energy consumption properties are due to the interfacial friction. The increase in wire density greatly improves the elastic modulus of the composite. The composite is anisotropic with a better bearing capacity in the molding direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to examine the durability of composite materials reinforced with carbon fiber and the effects of silicone rubber on the composites' tensile strength, bending, firing, impact, and density. The silicon fiber was mixed with resin using a magnetic stirrer at 250 rpm, with a temperature of 40o C for 30 minutes. Furthermore, the composite production process was carried out using a vacuum infusion method with carbon fiber sheet variations of 6, 8, and 10. Tensile strength shows a proportional increase with the number of carbon fiber layers. Flexural strength indicates the opposite. The impact test was conducted in accordance with the ASTM E 23 standard, the firing test was performed using a 9x19 mm caliber bullet with a distance of 10 m, and the density was found by employing ASTM 792-13. The greatest density was 1,274 grams/cm3, and it was gotten from the sample with 10 fiber layers. Following this, the results of the impact test (Izod) showed that the specimen with 6 layers of carbon fiber had the highest impact strength of 0.040 Joule/mm. While the shoot test results indicated that the composite with 6 layers of carbon had smaller shot holes. There was no significant absorption in the water absorption test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame retardant rubber composites have attracted a great attention during the past decades owing to their irreplaceable roles in complex industrial systems. Large amounts of efforts have been made to improve the flame retardant ability, developing high efficiency flame retardant systems which can reduce the release of heat, smoke and toxic gases while not deteriorate overall properties is becoming more and more important. This review briefly outlines the recent developments of flame retardant natural rubbers, silicon rubbers, some kinds of artificial rubbers and polyurethane elastomer composites, focuses on the design, development, mechanism and applications of advanced high-performance flame-retardant methods. Finally, outlooks the future tendency including more environmental-friendly strategies, higher flame-retardant efficiency and development of multifunctional flame-retardant rubber composites are proposed.

Constructing a synergistic effect with different structural fillers is an important strategy for improving the comprehensive properties of polymeric composites. To improve the comprehensive properties of two-component additive liquid silicon rubber (SR) materials used in electronics packaging, the synergistic effect of granular aluminum nitride (AlN) and tubular carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced SR nanocomposites was investigated. AlN/CNT/SR composites with different AlN/CNT ratios were fabricated with two-component additive liquid SR via the thermal curing technique, and the influence of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers on the hardness, strength, elongation at break, surface resistivity, thermal conductivity, and thermal decomposition was investigated in detail. With the incorporation of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers, the comprehensive properties of the obtained AlN/CNT/SR composites are better than those of the AlN/SR and CNT/SR composites. The synergistic thermal conductive mechanism of AlN/CNT hybrid fillers was proposed and demonstrated with the fractural surface morphology of the obtained composites. The obtained AlN/CNT/SR composites show promising applications in electronic packaging, where necessary mechanical strength, electrical insulating, thermal conductivity, and thermal stable materials are needed.

To reduce the damage of external impact on the human body, there are sponges, foams and other cushioning materials on the market at present. However, their preparation process and use cause environmental pollution. It is urgent to develop flexible cushioning materials with lightness, softness, durability, superior performance, environmental friendliness and low carbon emissions as helmet linings and insoles.In this paper, five kinds of warp-knitted spacer fabrics with the same raw materials but different organizational structures were selected as the reinforcing matrix, and silicone rubber was used as the filler to prepare flexible cushioning materials with different filling rates. The compression and cushioning properties were tested and analyzed, and the relationship between the process parameters and properties of the cushioning materials was explored. When the filling rate is 30% and 50%, the flexible buffer material has good elasticity. When the filling rate is 70% and 100%, the flexible buffer material has good compression resistance. Under the same filling rate of different fabrics, the shape of the compression load curve is similar. The load capacity of the flexible buffer material with silicone rubber filling rate of 30%, 50%, 70% and 100% increases as a multiple of the pure fabric. There is a multiple linear regression relationship between the maximum compression and impact load of the flexible cushioning material and the filling rate and the structural parameters of the warp knitted spacer fabric. The process parameters of warp knitted spacer fabrics have different effects on the load performance of buffer materials with different filling rates. When the filling rate is large, the hardness of the flexible buffer material is strengthened and the slow elasticity is weakened. Selecting the highlight zone parameters in the figure can reduce the use of silicone rubber. The filling rate has a significant effect on the cushioning capacity of the flexible cushioning material. A small filling rate can improve the cushioning performance of the warp knitted spacer fabric. The thickness of the warp-knitted spacer fabric has a great influence on the cushioning performance of the flexible cushioning material. The filling rate and thickness parameters can refer to the blue area in the figure to reduce the production cost of the enterprise. In this paper, silicone rubber is filled in the warp knitted spacer fabric, and the influence of filling rate and fabric structure on the performance of the flexible buffer material is investigated. Greenhouse silicone rubber can improve the load bearing capacity and buffering capacity of warp knitted spacer fabrics. With the increase of the filling rate, the load and impact resistance increase exponentially. The filling rate has a great influence on the load capacity of the flexible cushioning material, and the thickness of the warp knitted spacer fabric has a significant influence on the cushioning capacity of the flexible cushioning material. This flexible cushioning material can be applied to the fields of cushioning or protection. The manufacturing process of this flexible buffer material has basically no pollution to the environment and meets the requirements of environmental protection. Flexible cushioning materials have the ability to slow down and impact resistance, which can protect the body and have great application prospects in the fields of protection and buffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entangled metallic wire material–silicone rubber (EMWM–SR) composites with a three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure were manufactured through the vacuum infiltration method with the matrix of entangled metallic wire material (EMWM) and reinforcing element of silicone rubber (SR). Quasistatic compression tests and low-velocity impact tests of the proposed composites were performed, and the deformation model and damage characteristics of the tested EMWM–SR composites were investigated by performing computerized tomography scans and indentation depths. Experimental results show that the stiffness and energy consumption of the EMWM–SR composites are more than twice the sum of those of the individual EMWM and SR in the displacement range of 1.5–4.0 mm. With the increase of loading displacement, the stiffness of EMWM–SR composites increases steadily and the energy consumption increases sharply. Compared with EMWM and SR, the maximum displacement and peak force of the composite materials are decreasing significantly in the low-velocity impact tests. With increasing density, the impact resistance of the composites increases, while the energy absorption decreases. In other words, EMWM–SR 2.6 has better impact resistance but lower energy absorption capacity. The maximum displacement and the peak force increase synchronously with the increase in impact velocity. Interestingly, the composites maintain a high energy absorption capacity at different impact speeds. Furthermore, the energy absorption characteristics of the EMWM–SR composites under low-velocity impact are described in terms of the deformation mechanism of the wires.

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The research progress in dynamically vulcanized polyurethane/silicone rubber thermoplastic elastomer was summarized from the aspects of raw material selection, processing technology and compatibilizer with 20 references.

Abstract Marine biofouling will bring a series of environmental and social problems, which restrict the development and utilisation of marine resources. Therefore, how to prevent biofouling has become a global issue. With the exploration of antifouling methods, bionic antifouling technology with environmentally friendly, broad‐spectrum, and long‐term advantages has gradually attracted people's attention. Inspired by the antifouling strategy of soft coral (Sarcophyton trocheliophorum), the silicone rubber (RTV‐2) with similar elasticity to coral skin was selected as the substrate. The composite structure of the upper transparent layer and the lower porous layer was prepared by simulating the structure of soft coral as the structural factors of the bionic antifouling coatings. Meanwhile, several organic antifouling components with high content contained in soft coral were added to the transparent layer and porous layer, respectively, as the component factors of biomimetic coatings. The bionic antifouling coatings, which are highly consistent with the coral structure, obtained the best antifouling performance under static and dynamic conditions. The above results provide new ideas for the synthesis of environmentally friendly bionic antifouling coatings.

In this work, boron nitride nano sheets (BNNSs) were prepared by exfoliation of h-BNs using mono ethylene glycol (MEG) as a novel exfoliating agent. For comparison, isopropyl alcohol (IPA)/water mixture was also used for exfoliation of h-BNs. It was found that using MEG caused preparing nano layers with higher yield and lower thickness compared to the IPA/water mixture. Thereafter, silicon rubber nanocomposites contained 3 and 5 wt% of pure and exfoliated BNNSs were prepared and evaluated for thermal and electrical performances. It was found that h-BNs and exfoliated-BNs drastically enhanced thermal conduction of SR. The silicon rubber contained 5 wt% of the h-BN and exfoliated-BNs illustrated around 20 times higher thermal conductivities compared to pure SR. Exfoliation of h-BNs had negligible effect on improvement of thermal properties, however, it caused 5.7 and 2.3 times enhancement in the electrical volume resistivity compared to the pristine SR and pure h-BN containing nanocomposite, respectively. Both of the BNNSs caused improvement in the heat dissipation performances of SR matrix, however, the exfoliated one with MEG showed better performances. Based on the results, it was claimed that mono ethylene glycol could improve exfoliation of h-BNs and enhance the performances of silicon rubber.

The characteristics of the shape memory effect of a silicone rubber–titanium nickelide composite material under bending deformation have been studied. It is shown that the critical deformation (), upon reaching which 0.2% of unrecoverable deformation is accumulated in the composite, can reach 36–38% (at = 9% in a reinforcing filler made of titanium nickelide). A method for calculating the mechanical behavior of a composite under bending deformation is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicone rubber (SR)/vinyl-graphene oxide (vinyl-GO) nanocomposites were prepared through the hydrosilylation reaction of silicon hydrogen polydimethylsiloxane (H-PDMS) with vinyl polydimethylsiloxane (vinyl-PDMS), in which vinyl-GO was used as a nano filler. The thermally conductive and antistatic properties of the nanocomposites, and their tensile strength and thermal stability were evaluated. The thermally conductive and antistatic properties increased naturally when the nanocomposites had eight to nine parts of vinyl-GO. The addition of 9 parts of vinyl-GO increased the thermal conductivity to 0.44 from 0.17 W/m−1·K−1 of neat SR and the surface resistance value to 108 from 1014 Ω of neat SR. Vinyl-GO is effective in improving the tensile strength and toughness of the nanocomposites. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the nanocomposites were much higher than that of neat SR, especially for 10 parts of vinyl-GO in the nanocomposite, and the tensile strength was 1.84 MPa and the elongation at break was 314.1%. Additionally, compared with neat SR, the nanocomposites had a much higher thermal stability. For eight parts of vinyl-GO in the nanocomposites, H-PDMS with the selected silicon hydrogen content and vinyl-PDMS with the selected vinyl content could offer an appropriate cross-linking degree that suits the character of GO. When the nanocomposite had eight parts of vinyl-GO, its scanning electron microscope exhibited a monolayer GO with folded, twisted, and local surface folds. However, there was a certain amount of multilayer aggregation of GO for 10 parts of vinyl-GO in the nanocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly vertically thermally conductive silicon rubber (SiR) composites are widely used as thermal interface materials (TIMs) for chip cooling. Herein, inspired by water transport and transpiration of Moso bamboo-forests extensively existing in south China, and guided by filler self-assembly simulation, bamboo-forest-like heat conduction networks, with bamboo-stems-like vertically aligned polydopamine-coated carbon fibers (VA-PCFs), and bamboo-leaves-like horizontally layered Al 2 O 3 (HL-Al 2 O 3 ), are rationally designed and constructed. VA-PCF/HL-Al 2 O 3 /SiR composites demonstrated enhanced heat conduction properties, and their through-plane thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity reached 6.47 W (mK) -1 and 3.98 mm 2  s -1 at 12 vol% PCF and 4 vol% Al 2 O 3 loadings, which are 32% and 38% higher than those of VA-PCF (12 vol%) /SiR composites, respectively. The heat conduction enhancement mechanisms of VA-PCF/HL-Al 2 O 3 networks on their SiR composites are revealed by multiscale simulation: HL-Al 2 O 3 bridges the separate VA-PCF heat flow channels, and transfers more heat to the matrix, thereby increasing the vertical heat flux in composites. Along with high volume resistivity, low compression modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion, VA-PCF/HL-Al 2 O 3 /SiR composites demonstrate great application potential as TIMs, which is proven using multiphysics simulation. This work not only makes a meaningful attempt at simulation-driven biomimetic material structure design but also provides inspiration for the preparation of TIMs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

With the rapid development in the aerospace field, there is an increasing demand for flexible ablation materials with excellent cyclic ablation property, which attracts more and more attention from researchers all over the world. In this paper, the uniform experimental design method is used to prepare lamellar material filled epoxy modified vinyl silicone rubber (EMVSR) flexible ablation resistant composite materials. The effects of three layered materials (lamella sericite, MoS2, and GO) on the ablation performance and thermal insulation performance of EMVSR materials under cyclic ablation conditions are discussed. In addition, the compressive strength of the composites after ablation and the density of the char layer are tested and analyzed. The test results show that all these sheet materials can enhance the heat resistance and thermal conductivity of the EMVSR composites and GO has the greatest impact. The back‐face temperature of the EMVSR composites after the second ablation is higher than that after the first ablation, and GO can significantly improve the material's heat insulation performance under cyclic ablation conditions. The mass ablation rate of the EMVSR composites after the second ablation is generally greater than that after the first ablation. GO and sericite will reduce the ablation resistance of the materials, while MoS2 will increase the ablation resistance of EMVSR composites. The compressive strength of the char layer and the ablative resistance of the materials are positively correlated with the density of char layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine biofouling will bring a series of environmental and social problems, which restrict the development and utilisation of marine resources. Therefore, how to prevent biofouling has become a global issue. With the exploration of antifouling methods, bionic antifouling technology with environmentally friendly, broad‐spectrum, and long‐term advantages has gradually attracted people's attention. Inspired by the antifouling strategy of soft coral (Sarcophyton trocheliophorum), the silicone rubber (RTV‐2) with similar elasticity to coral skin was selected as the substrate. The composite structure of the upper transparent layer and the lower porous layer was prepared by simulating the structure of soft coral as the structural factors of the bionic antifouling coatings. Meanwhile, several organic antifouling components with high content contained in soft coral were added to the transparent layer and porous layer, respectively, as the component factors of biomimetic coatings. The bionic antifouling coatings, which are highly consistent with the coral structure, obtained the best antifouling performance under static and dynamic conditions. The above results provide new ideas for the synthesis of environmentally friendly bionic antifouling coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulating materials with heat dissipation are urgently required for modern electronic devices and systems. In this study, 4,4-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate was used as the coupling agent, and nano-diamond (ND) particles were grafted onto the surface of carbon fibers (CFs) to prepare CF-ND/silicone rubber (SR) composites. The ND acted as a "bridge" among CFs, which can reduce the interface thermal resistance between CFs because the dot-like ND can increase the interfacial area of CFs, making it easier to form heat-conducting networks between SR. When the content of CF-ND (1:6) was 20%, the thermal conductivity of the SR composite was 0.305 W/(m·K), 69% higher than that of pure SR. The ND between CFs can improve the dynamic mechanical properties by acting as a crack pinhole. In addition, the CF-ND/SR composites also exhibited excellent thermal stability. This work has enormous potential for advanced electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In power transmission lines, it is necessary to isolate the inherent voltage parts from each other and from zero potential. An insulator is defined as having a high degree of electrical insulation between the conductors and the brackets. Insulators also allow for mechanical conductivity of the conductor and ground. The presence of a broken insulator can alter the stress distribution. In this paper, the effect of mechanical insulation cracking (chattering) on electric field in two common types of insulators (porcelain and silicone rubber) and electric potential distribution models are analyzed. First, the electric field and electric potential patterns in the solid insulator are examined. In the following, the insulator is assumed to be broken, and the electric field and electric potential patterns for a broken insulator relative to the basic insulator shape are illustrated and compared. The results show that the presence of insulation cracking under dry and environmentally benign conditions affects the stress distribution pattern within and around the insulator. Finally, a comparison between the effect of fracture on the electric field and the potential distribution patterns in different parts of the insulator is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead, the conventional choice for wearable radiation shielding, faces growing health and occupational concerns. This prompts the search for a lighter, more flexible alternative. Nylon 6, prized for its mechanical prowess, emerges as a reinforcement in wearable composites. This study focuses on creating silicon rubber composites using Nylon 6 reinforcement and varying proportions of Bismuth oxide and aluminium fillers. Mechanical Parameters such as Tensile strength and Elongation at break, are studied and the quality of fabrication is assessed using a Scanning Electron Microscope. Studies on various combinations of nylon 6-based silicon rubber with varying percentages of bismuth oxide and aluminium fillers have been studied and radiation parameters have been assessed. TSN-4 (60% wt. bismuth oxide along with 50% wt. aluminium powder) showed the highest tensile strength of 25.13 MPa having 79.3% of elongation at break followed by TSN-1 & TSN-3. The results reveal good mechanical properties as well as satisfactory radiation attenuation properties. The combination of Nylon 6-based with 60% wt. bismuth oxide along with 50% wt. aluminium powder (TSN4) was considered optimal for the energy range from 140 keV to 511 keV with HVL of 2.06 cm, TVL 6.86 cm, and MAC of 0.093 gm/cm2 and also bearing good mechanical properties. Further, the fabricated samples can be compared with the Monte Carlo Simulation method for further improvements in the fabricated composites. The produced composites have the potential to be used as lead-free protective wearables and wearing devices in nuclear medicine following further investigation. • Research focuses on novel nylon-based silicon rubber composites with fillers from 140Kev gamma to 511 Kev Positron range. • 60% Bismuth oxide and 50% Aluminium powder as filler, exhibits excellent mechanical and radiation attenuating properties. • Novel Nylon-6-based silicon rubber composites emerge as a Potential lead-free option for wearable radiation shielding. • Avenues for nanocomposites of bismuth and aluminum additives to enhance radiation shielding advancing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that Pyrovatex is widely used as a commercial flame-retardant, the release of toxic formaldehyde remains a serious problem. Fluorine-based compounds, on the other hand, have been employed to impart hydrophobic textile surfaces, although they are exceedingly costly and poisonous. Based on those difficulties, we describe a simple one-step method for coating electrically conductive cotton-nickel (Cot-Ni) blend fabric providing flame-retardant and water-repellent characteristics. A nickel ribbon was firstly bent around a cotton yarn as a core, and then woven into an electrically conductive Cot-Ni blend fabric, which was created by weaving the cotton-nikel hybrid threads with regular cotton yarns. The conductive fabric was coated with a composite consisting of silicone rubber (RTV) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). The strong binding of RTV with both APP and cotton fibres increased the flame-retardant action of cotton, according to the findings. As a result, varied concentrations of APP were used in the composite to show that only 100 g/l of APP combined with RTV improved the fire-retardancy. Depending on the concentration of APP, distinct hierarchical morphologies appeared on the surface of the coated Cot-Ni fabrics. RTV also improved the hydrophobic character of the blend surface. Measurements of air permeability, surface roughness, and stiffness were used to investigate the comfort qualities of the coated Cot-Ni blends. Eventually, those multifunctional (Cot-Ni)/RTV-APP textiles might be used in a variety of applications, such as grain storage containers, car seat mats, and firefighters' uniforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study aimed to prepare cellulose-based hydrophobic, lightweight, and flame retardant foam composites. Cellulose was activated by phosphoric acid followed by blending with dolomite clay of different loading ratios. Gelatin/tannin as an adhesive system was used as a binder. A solution of the environmentally friendly silicone rubber (RTV) was applied onto foam samples via spray-coating to improve their water repealing performance, which was explored by investigating both of water contacting angle and wettability time of the coated foam samples. Flammability characteristics, thermal decomposition, surface morphology, and chemical structure of treated and untreated foams were investigated by flammability test, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared. The fire retardancy of foam composites was optimized at low and medium loading of dolomite. Also, the addition of RTV improved the hydrophobicity of composites maintained the fire retardancy of composites with medium loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new nanocomposite superhydrophobic of the RTV (room temperature vulcanized) silicon rubber reinforced with a different percentage of nanosilica was prepared by a two-stage sol-gel route to obtain a superhydrophobic surface coating on high voltage glass insulator, preventing the dust-water droplet from adhering to its surface. The cold spraying technique was utilized to build up a thin nanocomposite superhydrophobic layer on the glass insulator containing different percentages of the nanosilica particles, such as 23 wt %, 33 wt %, and 44 wt % with RTV silicon substrate. The synthesized nanocomposite was analyzed using the contact angle, roughness, adhesion, hardness, and dielectric strength tests. Moreover, the prepared RTV silicon rubber/nanosilica superhydrophobic nanocomposite layer was characterized using the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the particle size analysis test. Based on the results, the nanosilica particles were well-incorporated into the RTV silicon rubber, obtaining an excellent homogenous distribution thin layer on its surface, supporting its capability to be a superior superhydrophobic surface. The results reveal that the RTV silicon rubber/33wt % nanosilica was the best as a superhydrophobic behavior with a contact angle reaching higher than 158°± 3; also, a significant change in the dielectric strength was obtained to be 25.5 kV (using a speed voltage of 5.0 kV/s). Importantly, the flashover test was also conducted, and it was found that there was a significant change in the leak current between the coated and uncoated samples. The leak current of the coated sample with a superhydrophobic nanocomposite was reduced to 2.5 mA, while the uncoated sample became 3.2 mA using a voltage load value of 60 kV. The results presented here may improve the nanocomposite material as an antiweathering superhydrophobic thin layer supported by the prepared nano-SiO2 particles against the dust-water droplets which may be adhesive to the high voltage glass insulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further improve the ablation and thermal properties of silicon rubber composite materials, the 3, 13‐divinyloctaphenyl double‐decker polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (DV‐DDSQ) modified additional vinyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (VPDMS) was prepared, and the effect of high silica fiber reinforcement on the ablation properties of VPDMS was investigated. The results show that when 0.8phr DV‐DDSQ was added, the mass residual rate at 800°C of the composites increased from 40.6% to 51.0%. The linear ablation rate (LAR) as well as mass ablation rate (MAR) of the composites of the DV‐DDSQ modified VPDMS, the high silica fiber reinforced VPDMS composite (HSF/VPDMS composite) and the high silica fiber reinforced DV‐DDSQ modified VPDMS composite (HSF/DV‐DDSQ‐VPDMS composite) decreased dramatically compared with raw VPDMS, and it was 16.36%, 35.69%, and 37.17% bring down for LAR and 5.34%, 14.60% and 25.59% for MAR, respectively. The tensile strength and hardness of the DV‐DDSQ modified composites increased by 9.52% and 14.13%, respectively, while the elongation at break decreased by 5.99%, compared with the raw VPDMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust superhydrophobic surfaces with periodic array structures composed of circular silica islands on silicone rubber substrates were fabricated using a combination of multi-laser exposure and chemical modification. Abrasion tests with sandpaper demonstrate that hard silica regions on the surface can protect the silicone rubber region from external damage, resulting in long-lasting superhydrophobicity. Moreover, with an increase in area fraction and a decrease in array hole radius, the wear of the filled superhydrophobic silica is slowed while the protection for the silicone rubber region is enhanced. Particularly, the optimum surface geometry had an area fraction of 35 % and array hole radius of 100 μm retaining its hydrophobicity up to 63 times of abrasion, eight times more than that of the superhydrophobic surface processed by lasers alone. The results of a sand impact test confirmed the resulting surface's resilience in an aeolian sand environment. This research demonstrated the feasibility of producing robust, superhydrophobic surfaces on flexible silicone rubber substrates and providing a foundation for improving and innovating related products. [Display omitted] • Superhydrophobic silicone rubber surface was fabricated by laser processing and silica filling. • The periodic array structures provide surface protection and maintain flexibility. • Circular silica islands in surface periodic array structures exhibit a self-similar property. • Rubost surfaces demonstrate long-lasting superhydrophobicity during abrasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective heat dissipation and real-time temperature monitoring are crucial for ensuring the long-term stable operation of modern, high-performance electronic products. This study proposes a silicon rubber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based nanocomposite with a rapid thermal response and high thermal conductivity. This nanocomposite enables both rapid heat dissipation and real-time temperature monitoring for high-performance electronic products. The reported material primarily consists of a thermally conductive layer (Al 2 O 3 /PDMS composites) and a reversible thermochromic layer (organic thermochromic material, graphene oxide, and PDMS nanocoating; OTM-GO/PDMS). The thermal conductivity of OTM-GO/Al 2 O 3 /PDMS nanocomposites reached 4.14 W m -1 K -1 , reflecting an increase of 2200% relative to that of pure PDMS. When the operating temperature reached 35, 45, and 65 °C, the surface of OTM-GO/Al 2 O 3 /PDMS nanocomposites turned green, yellow, and red, respectively, and the thermal response time was only 30 s. The OTM-GO/Al 2 O 3 /PDMS nanocomposites also exhibited outstanding repeatability and maintained excellent color stability over 20 repeated applications.

[Display omitted] • The mechanical properties of composites at low temperature were studied. • The effect of the ratio of ZnO to LDH on the properties of rubber was studied. • Composite fillers improve the tensile properties of rubber. • Composite filler reduces glass transition temperature of rubber. • Construction of cross-linked network of ZnO and LDH in rubber. Low-temperature conditions can degrade various properties of rubber, impacting the application of rubber products in such conditions. In this study, we incorporated zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxide (LDH) into silicone rubber (SR) to produce x-ZnO/LDH/SR composites, where X represents the addition ratio of ZnO to LDH. The results indicated that, at −40 °C, the tensile strength and elongation at break for 1/2-ZnO/LDH/SR were 10.6 % and 5.0 % greater than the original silicone rubber, respectively. In addition, after aging at −40 °C for 3 days, the compression set of the composites decreased by 48.6 %. This improvement was attribute to ZnO and LDH forming a physical cross-linking network within the rubber. This not only enhanced the mechanical properties of silicone rubber at low temperatures but also offers a straightforward and viable approached to producing high-performance, low-temperature-resistant sealing products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cyclosiloxane with single C=C bond was synthesized by hydrocondensation and was further copolymerized with octamethyl cyclotetrasiloxane to prepare silicone rubber with well-distributed crosslinking groups. • The effect of vulcanization groups type on vulcanization rate was investigated. • The well distribution vulcanization groups enhanced the mechanical properties of SR. • The matched vulcanization rate of SR with EPDM improved the mechanical properties and breakdown strength of SR/EPDM blends. Due to the low intermolecular force, silicone rubber (SR) processes weak mechanical properties and it's difficult to blend with other conventional rubbers, which limits its application. Herein, a series of novel SRs with evenly distributed and different types of crosslinking groups were synthesized and cured to SR blends. The novel SRs promote the uniform distribution of crosslinking points during vulcanization, which contributes to the increase in both tensile strength and elongation at break. Besides, the introduction of different types of crosslinking groups decreases vulcanization speed as well as increases the flexibility of the bridge between two crosslinked polymer chains, resulting in the elongation at break as high as 1143%, which is twice higher than commercial SR. The novel SRs were subsequently blended with ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) to prepare high-performance blends. Compared with the commercial SR/EPDM blend, the matching vulcanization resulted in an increase in the tensile stress and elongation at break by 27.6% and 35.3%, respectively. In addition, dielectric strength increases from 34.2 to 40.8 kV/mm for SEP-VCH. Our work provides a new strategy to prepare SR with high mechanical properties and improve the properties of SR/EPDM blend without the addition of a compatibilizer, thus extending the application of SR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nano sheets were prepared from nanoparticles by a novel/effective exfoliating agent (i.e. mono ethylene glycol). • Exfoliation of h-BN was performed much better in mono ethylene glycol as replacing solvent for water/isopropyl alcohol. • Silicon rubber (SR) nanocomposites were prepared using pure and exfoliated h-BNs and evaluated for thermal and electrical properties. • The exfoliated h-BNs caused considerable improvement in the thermal conductivity and electrical resistance of SR compared to pure h-BNs. In this work, boron nitride nano sheets (BNNSs) were prepared by exfoliation of h-BNs using mono ethylene glycol (MEG) as a novel exfoliating agent. For comparison, isopropyl alcohol (IPA)/water mixture was also used for exfoliation of h-BNs. It was found that using MEG caused preparing nano layers with higher yield and lower thickness compared to the IPA/water mixture. Thereafter, silicon rubber nanocomposites contained 3 and 5 wt% of pure and exfoliated BNNSs were prepared and evaluated for thermal and electrical performances. It was found that h-BNs and exfoliated-BNs drastically enhanced thermal conduction of SR. The silicon rubber contained 5 wt% of the h-BN and exfoliated-BNs illustrated around 20 times higher thermal conductivities compared to pure SR. Exfoliation of h-BNs had negligible effect on improvement of thermal properties, however, it caused 5.7 and 2.3 times enhancement in the electrical volume resistivity compared to the pristine SR and pure h-BN containing nanocomposite, respectively. Both of the BNNSs caused improvement in the heat dissipation performances of SR matrix, however, the exfoliated one with MEG showed better performances. Based on the results, it was claimed that mono ethylene glycol could improve exfoliation of h-BNs and enhance the performances of silicon rubber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shielding material is used for protection against harmful effect of ionizing radiations. This paper is aimed at studying the prospects of silicone elastomer based nanocomposites as neutron shielding material. Cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as filler medium in the nanocomposites, due to their exceptional neutron attenuation properties. The CdO nanoparticles were synthesized using composite-hydroxide-mediated (CHM) method and their structural purity was confirmed with x-ray diffraction data. Silicone/CdO/MWCNTs nanocomposites were fabricated by room-temperature-vulcanization (RTV) method, with different concentrations of nano-fillers (3, 6 and 9 % wt of CdO; 1 % wt of MWCNTs). The half value layer (HVL) thickness of the nanocomposites were found to be 7.44 cm, 5.90 cm and 5.72 cm, while the neutron removal cross sections were noted as 0.09307, 0.11732, and 0.12107 for the nanocomposites containing 3%, 6% and 9% of CdO, respectively. The Phy-X software was used to calculate the fast neutron removal cross-section and found it consistent with the experimental results. The results revealed that adding nano-fillers (CdO nanoparticles and MWCNTs) into silicone matrix not only enhanced the neutron shielding efficacy of nanocomposites but also have improved their mechanical properties and making it useful for neutron shielding applications. • Neutron shielding efficacy of silicon rubber composited was investigated. • Effect of CdO contents on mass removal cross section was explored. • HVL values of silicon composites with CdO and MWCNTs were figured out. • Experimental results were confirmed by simulation with Phy-X/PSD software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative bioinspired method is presented for the preparation of surface-modified nanodiamonds (ND) particles by poly(dopamine) (PDA). The process was aimed at improving the thermal conductivity and maintaining the insulating capability of silicone rubber (SiR). ND was successfully and effectively modified by dopamine in different hours, which was confirmed by HR-TEM, TGA, FTIR, and XRD. The poly(dopamine) coating on ND particles improved its interfacial interaction with silicon rubber and promoted the uniform dispersion of fillers, resulting in the ND-18/SiR composite that acquired a higher thermal conductivity (0.295 W/(m·K)) at the loading of 6 wt%, 81 % higher than that of pure silicone rubber (0.163 W/(m·K)). In addition, the composite materials still displayed an excellent insulating property with a resistance of ≈1011 Ω·cm, which was a big advantage for thermal management. [Display omitted] • The agglomeration problem of ND nanoparticles was reduced by using dopamine. • ND-X particles exhibit excellent dispersibility and compatibility with SiR. • ND-X particles enhance thermal conductivity and maintain electrical insulation of nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical deltamethrin (Alpha Max), used as delousing treatments in aquaculture, has raised concerns due to possible negative impacts on the marine environment. A novel approach combining different scientific disciplines has addressed this topic. Acute (mortality) and sublethal effects (i.e., fitness, neurological, immunological, and oxidative responses) of exposure of northern shrimp ( Pandalus borealis ) were studied in laboratory experiments. Passive water sampling combined with sediment analyses revealed environmental concentrations. Finally, dispersal modeling was performed to predict environmental concentrations. Ecotoxicological analyses showed mortality in shrimp after 1 h of exposure to 2 ng L -1 (1000-fold dilution of treatment dose), revealing a high sensitivity to deltamethrin. Sublethal effects included induction of acetylcholinesterase and acyl CoA oxidase activities and oxidative impairment, which may be linked to neurotoxic responses. Field concentrations of 10-200 ng L -1 in water (100 m from the pens) and -1 dw in sediment (0-400 m from pens) were measured. Ecotoxicological values were compared with measured and modeled concentrations. They showed that concentrations higher than those causing mortality could be expected up to 4-5 km from point of release, in an area of 6.4 km 2 , with lethal concentrations remaining up to 35 h in some areas. Hence, the study demonstrates that there is a considerable risk for negative effects on the ecologically and commercially important shrimp.

• Phosphazene derivative served as cross-linking agents of silicone rubber. • The mechanical strength and thermal properties were significantly improved. • Characterization of the char layer structure and surface elements composition. • Analysis of ceramicization reaction and ablation mechanism. It is still a challenge for liquid silicone rubber to meet the needs of aerospace and electronics in terms of mechanical and thermal properties. In this study, N 3 P 3 [NH(CH 2) 3 Si(OCH 2 CH 3) 3 ] 6 (APESP), a phosphazene derivative containing multiple siliconethoxy groups was adopted as cross-linking agent to cure the condensed room temperature vulcanizing liquid silicone rubber (RTV-CLSR). The results show that APESP can effectively complete the curing process of condensed silicone rubber taking the place of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and enhance the restriction of cross-linking point to molecular chains, thereby effectively improving the mechanical strength, thermal stability, and ablation resistance of SR. Compared with unmodified SR, the tensile strength of APESP modified SR increased by 272%, the elongation at break decreased slightly but still remained at 362%, and the mass residual rate at 800 °C significantly increased by 19.86% when 11 phr APESP was added. The linear ablation rate and mass ablation rate of SR were reduced to 0.239 mm·s−1 and 0.095 g·s−1, a decrease of 60.63% and 44.41%, respectively. This work may provide a new perspective for the application of liquid silicone rubber in the fields with high thermal performance requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the dissolution and diffusion behaviors of different supercritical fluids (SCFs) including CO 2 , N 2 and their mixtures in silicon rubber were investigated by magnetic suspension balance (MSB) and a situ visualization system to trace the expansion of sample's volume. The results showed that the mixed gas in silicon rubber having an appropriate proportion could maintain the high solubility while obtaining relatively low diffusion coefficient. In addition, a processing strategy which utilized conjunctively the CO 2 with high solubility and N 2 with low diffusivity in silicon rubber was used to design the cellular structure and improve shrinking problem. The resulting silicon rubber foamed by mixed gas has a lowest density of 0.086 g·cm−3 and the problem of cell shrinking has been improved effectively. This approach widens silicon rubber's potential as a high-performance foam material and provides an idea for preparing ultra-light silicone rubber foam material. [Display omitted] • The solubility and diffusion behaviors of different supercritical fluids in silicon rubber were investigated in this paper. • A situ visualization system was attached to magnetic suspension balance (MSB) to trace the expansion of sample's volume. • The cellular structure of silicon rubber was designed by foaming agents with different solubility and diffusion coefficients. • A mixture of CO 2 and N 2 was used to prepare silicon rubber foam which could improve effectively cell shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High permittivity and large actuation strain under low actuation voltage have been the "hotspot" on the development and application of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) for decades. In this work, by coating multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/silicon rubber (SR) composite on the surface of nickel foam, after which the nickel foam was etched, the segregated MWCNT network structure was filled and encapsulated by SR. As a result, an isolated three-dimensional (3D) MWCNT network was successfully introduced into the SR elastomer matrix. Studies showed that owing to the large amount of accumulated charge on the large polarization interface between MWCNT and SR, high dielectric constant value as high as 10.39 at 1 kHz under 0.8 wt % MWCNT can be endowed to the composited elastomer. In addition, because discontinuity of adjacent MWCNTs in the 3D MWCNT network, the dielectric loss and elastic modulus of the composited elastomer has been significantly lowered, providing a high actuated strain of about 11.61% at a low electric field of 10.1 V·μm−1 under a filler content of 0.6 wt % to the composites. This finding raises a long-range prospect to readily and reliably prepare high-performance polymer based dielectric materials, and the 3D-MWCNT/SR composite elastomer seizes a great potential to be applicated as high-performance DEAs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, synthetic silicone rubber (SR) and Bi2O3 micro- and nanoparticles were purchased. The percentages for both sizes of Bi2O3 were 10, 20 and 30 wt% as fillers. The morphological, mechanical and shielding properties were determined for all the prepared samples. The Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC) values of the silicon rubber (SR) without Bi2O3 and with 5, 10, 30 and 30% Bi2O3 (in micro and nano sizes) were experimentally measured using different radioactive point sources in the energy range varying from 0.06 to 1.333 MeV. Additionally, we theoretically calculated the LAC for SR with micro-Bi2O3 using XCOM software. A good agreement was noticed between the two methods. The NaI (Tl) scintillation detector and four radioactive point sources (Am-241, Ba-133, Cs-137 and Co-60) were used in the measurements. Other shielding parameters were calculated for the prepared samples, such as the Half Value Layer (HVL), Mean Free Path (MFP) and Radiation Protection Efficiency (RPE), all of which proved that adding nano-Bi2O3 ratios of SR produces higher shielding efficiency than its micro counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bolus is a material equivalent to soft tissue and is directly placed on the skin surface during radiotherapy. It is commonly used to increase the dose on the skin surface in electron beam radiation. A typical material for a bolus is silicone rubber (SR). We made a bolus with dimensions of 17 × 17 × 1 cm 3 by varying silicone rubber (SR) RTV 52 and hardening material (bluesil catalyst 60 R) using a simple molded method. We characterized it using a CT scan to find the relative electron density (RED) and examined it using the electron beam of a linear accelerator (LINAC) at energies of 5 and 7 MeV to investigate the percentage of surface dose (PSD). The PSD value is relative to the dose at maximum doses (d max ). The RED value of the bolus was from 1.168 ± 0.021 to 1.176 ± 0.019, higher than the soft tissue (muscle) value of 1.043. The percentage of surface dose (PSD) test at 5 and 7 MeV LINAC energy showed that the highest PSD without using a bolus were 84.79±0.06% and 86.03±0.07%, respectively. With a bolus, the PSD values were 112.52±0.16% and 111.14±0.03%, respectively. The results indicate that bolus fabrication using SR RTV 52 and bluesil 60R is very effective for radiotherapy in the treatment of skin cancer due to an increase in surface dose., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

• MXene/silicone rubber composites with high thermal stability were prepared. • The temperature T 1 and T 2 of MP-0.3/SR increased by 15.5 and 120 °C respectively. • MP exerted a barrier effect and altered the thermal degradation process of SR. Herein, MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x)/silicone rubber (SR) composites with high thermal stability are prepared by incorporating MXene modified with chloroacetic acid and polysilazane in the SR matrix. Polysilazane is grafted onto MXene by a condensation reaction to weaken the interaction between MXene and SR. Polysilazane modified MXene (MP) chemically interacts with SR, which ensures the uniform dispersion of MXene in the SR matrix. Consequently, MP/SR composites have higher thermal stability than pure SR. Among, the MP/SR composites, the one with 0.3 wt% MP (denoted as MP-0.3/SR) exhibits significantly improved thermal stability. The initial decomposition temperature (T 1) and the temperature at which 50% weight loss occurred (T 2) of MP-0.3/SR increase by 15.5 and 120 °C, respectively, compared to those of SR. During the thermal degradation of the MP/SR composites, the crosslinking reaction is retarded; instead, the main chains of the SR undergo degradative rearrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the electrical conduction and dielectric polarization properties of elastomer-based composites is important for the design of flexible and elastic electronic devices and circuits. Five samples were manufactured by mixing silicone rubber (RTV-530) with Al particles in different volume fractions, x equal to 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2.5% and 5.1%. Using the complex impedance measurements, the electric modulus, M, the electrical conductivity, σ, and the dielectric permittivity, ε, over the frequency range 100 Hz-200 kHz were analyzed. The electrical conductivity spectrum, σ(f), follows the Jonscher universal law and the DC conductivity of the samples, σ DC , increases from 2.637·10 -8 S/m to 5.725·10 -8 S/m, with increasing x from, 0 to 5.1%. The conduction process was analyzed in terms of Mott's variable-range-hopping (VRH) model. The hopping distance of the charge carriers, R h decreases with increasing x, from 7.30 nm (for x = 0) to 5.92 nm (for x = 5.1%). The frequency dependence of permittivity, ε(f) = ε'(f) - iε″(f), reveals a relaxation process with the maximum of ε″(f) shifting from 301 Hz to 385 Hz and values of ε'(f) increasing with the increase of x.

A new nanocomposite superhydrophobic of the RTV (room temperature vulcanized) silicon rubber reinforced with a different percentage of nanosilica was prepared by a two-stage sol-gel route to obtain a superhydrophobic surface coating on high voltage glass insulator, preventing the dust-water droplet from adhering to its surface. The cold spraying technique was utilized to build up a thin nanocomposite superhydrophobic layer on the glass insulator containing different percentages of the nanosilica particles, such as 23 wt %, 33 wt %, and 44 wt % with RTV silicon substrate. The synthesized nanocomposite was analyzed using the contact angle, roughness, adhesion, hardness, and dielectric strength tests. Moreover, the prepared RTV silicon rubber/nanosilica superhydrophobic nanocomposite layer was characterized using the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the particle size analysis test. Based on the results, the nanosilica particles were well-incorporated into the RTV silicon rubber, obtaining an excellent homogenous distribution thin layer on its surface, supporting its capability to be a superior superhydrophobic surface. The results reveal that the RTV silicon rubber/33wt % nanosilica was the best as a superhydrophobic behavior with a contact angle reaching higher than 158° ± 3; also, a significant change in the dielectric strength was obtained to be 25.5 kV (using a speed voltage of 5.0 kV/s). Importantly, the flashover test was also conducted, and it was found that there was a significant change in the leak current between the coated and uncoated samples. The leak current of the coated sample with a superhydrophobic nanocomposite was reduced to 2.5 mA, while the uncoated sample became 3.2 mA using a voltage load value of 60 kV. The results presented here may improve the nanocomposite material as an antiweathering superhydrophobic thin layer supported by the prepared nano-SiO 2 particles against the dust-water droplets which may be adhesive to the high voltage glass insulator., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© TÜBİTAK.)