Moisture-Curable Semiconductive Formulation With Smooth Cable Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing moisture-curable semiconductive materials for power cables face challenges with high moisture uptake, brittleness at low temperatures, and surface roughness, which affect their electrical and mechanical performance, particularly when using ultra-low wettability carbon blacks.
Innovation Solution
A moisture-curable semiconductive formulation comprising a mixture of an ethylene/(alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane)/(optional olefinic hydrocarbon) copolymer and conventional carbon black, excluding ethylene/hydrolyzable silane/polar comonomer terpolymer, polyorganosiloxane, and ultra-low wettability carbon black, achieving low volume resistivity and improved mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ultra-low wettability carbon black is used to improve electrical conductivity, then volume resistivity is reduced, but moisture uptake increases and surface roughness occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes ultra-low wettability carbon black from the formulation, replacing it with conventional carbon black. This eliminates the harmful moisture uptake and surface roughness issues while maintaining the essential semiconductive function through optimized conventional carbon black content and distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key parameter from ultra-low wettability carbon black to conventional carbon black, fundamentally altering the material's interaction with moisture. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by eliminating the excessive moisture uptake while maintaining adequate electrical conductivity through proper carbon black formulation.
2Reliability
If ethylene/hydrolyzable silane/polar comonomer terpolymer is used to achieve moisture curability, then crosslinking is enabled, but brittleness at low temperatures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ethylene/hydrolyzable silane/polar comonomer terpolymer from the formulation, eliminating the source of low-temperature brittleness. Instead, it uses ethylene/alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane copolymer that provides moisture curability without the harmful brittleness issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite approach by combining ethylene/alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane copolymer with conventional carbon black. This composite formulation achieves both moisture curability and low-temperature flexibility, resolving the contradiction between crosslinking capability and brittleness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If polyorganosiloxane crosslinking agent is used to enhance crosslinking, then gel content is improved, but surface roughness and scorch lumps occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates polyorganosiloxane crosslinking agent from the formulation, removing the cause of surface roughness and scorch lumps. The desired gel content and crosslinking are achieved instead through controlled moisture curability of the ethylene/alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane copolymer.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional carbon black is used to maintain formulation simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but volume resistivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration and distribution parameters of conventional carbon black to achieve the desired volume resistivity. By carefully controlling the carbon black content and its dispersion in the copolymer matrix, the formulation maintains both manufacturing simplicity and adequate electrical conductivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation provides excellent volume resistivity, low-temperature brittleness, and surface smoothness, meeting industry standards for power cables, with reduced carbon black content maintaining desirable electrical properties, and preventing scorch lumps and surface roughness issues.
Implementation Method 1
an ethylene/(alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane)/(optional olefinic hydrocarbon) copolymer (moisture curable)
Data Source
AI summary
A moisture-curable semiconductive formulation consisting essentially of a mixture of an ethylene/(alkenyl-functional hydrolyzable silane)/(optional olefinic hydrocarbon) copolymer and a conventional carbon black. Also discovered methods of making and using same, a moisture-cured semiconductive product made therefrom, and articles containing or made from same.