Synthesizing dielectric nanocomposites from recycling rubber waste and agricultural silica: exploring leakage current characteristics for advanced applications

Abstract

Rubber waste, primarily from discarded tires, is emerging as a significant environmental challenge. As the world produces 1.5 billion tires annually, this creates a vast amount of non-degradable waste. This often results in these tires accumulating in landfills or being burned, both of which pose severe environmental threats. Recognizing this issue, researchers have turned their focus to innovative recycling techniques. One such method involves transforming rubber waste into valuable composites. They are doing this by combining rubber with agricultural silica wastes, such as rice husk ash. This amalgamation results in the creation of environmentally-friendly dielectric materials suitable for electronic and electrical applications. Epoxy resin forms the base of this composite matrix. When supplemented with waste-derived nanofillers, the resin exhibits improved heat conductivity and mechanical resilience. These enhanced nanocomposite insulators have proven superior to their pure epoxy counterparts. The study also delved into insulator designs, evaluating various fin types to optimize high-voltage insulation. For dry environments, Isolator C with its unique fractal fins stood out, while for wet conditions, Isolator B’s serrated fins were ideal. This groundbreaking work showcases that rubber waste, when combined with agricultural by- products, can lead to sustainable advancements in the electronics sector.