Intrinsic hydrophobic epoxies for outdoor insulation

Abstract

The paper deals with the intrinsic improvement of the hydrophobicity of epoxy resins used for indoor and outdoor insulation. The main improvement compared to a surface modification is the implementation of the hydrophobicity in the bulk of the material. Such a newly developed material was compared with a cycloaliphatic epoxy, a LSR-rubber and a commercial hydrophobic epoxy. Beside the basic hydrophobicity, the recovery after corona and plasma exposure and the transfer of the hydrophobicity through a pollution layer was evaluated.