@article { ISI:000259273200027,
	title = {Durability of crosslinked polydimethylsyloxanes: the case of composite insulators},
	journal = {Science and Technology of Advanced Materials},
	volume = {9},
	number = {2},
	year = {2008},
	note = {International Conference on Magneto-Science, Hiroshima, JAPAN, NOV, 2007},
	month = {JUN},
	pages = {024406},
	publisher = {NATL INST MATERIALS SCIENCE},
	type = {Article},
	address = {NATL INST MATERIALS SCIENCE, 1-2-1 SENGEN, TSUKUBA-CITY, IBARAKI, 305-0047, JAPAN},
	abstract = {<p>Most applications of silicones are linked to their hydrophobic properties and (or) their high resistance to ageing (e. g. thermal ageing and photoageing). However, when placed in extreme environments, these materials can fail as in the case of epoxy/fiber glass composite powerlines insulators, where crosslinked polymethylsyloxanes (PDMSs) are used as the protective envelope (housing) of the insulator. We report on the behavior of both pure/noncrosslinked PDMSs and typical formulations used in industrial insulators, i.e. containing peroxide crosslinked PDMS, alumina trioxide hydrated (ATH) and silica. Special attention is paid on both (i) the sources of potential degradation and (ii) the best analytical methods that can be applied to the study of very complex formulations. (i) Aside from conventional types of ageing such as photo-ageing and thermal, hydrolytic, and service life ageings, treatments with acidic vapors, plasma and ozone possibly generating species from the reaction of a high electric field with air were also performed, which allowed to accelerate electrical and out-door ageings and to obtain differently aged materials. (ii) Aside from conventional analytical methods of polymer degradation such as FTIR/ATR spectroscopy and SEC, TG, hardness measurements, more specific methods like photo/DSC, TG/IR, thermoporosimetry, resistivity and density measurements were also performed to characterize the chemical and physical evolutions of polymer materials. In particular, it was found that treatment with nitric acid vapor has detrimental effects on the properties of both fire retardants (e. g. ATH) and PDMSs, affecting the hardness and resistivity of the formulated material.</p>},
	keywords = {composite insulators, durability, PDMS, post-crosslinking, silicone},
	issn = {1468-6996},
	doi = {10.1088/0031-8949/9/2/024406},
	author = {Delor-Jestin, Florence and Tomer, Namrata S. and Singh, Raj Pal and Lacoste, Jacques}
}
@article { ISI:000251802900022,
	title = {Preparation and characterization of novel hybrid of chitosan-g-PDMS and sodium montmorrilonite},
	journal = {Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B-Applied Biomaterials},
	volume = {84},
	number = {1},
	year = {2008},
	month = {JAN},
	pages = {184-190},
	publisher = {WILEY-LISS},
	address = {DIV JOHN WILEY \& SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 USA},
	abstract = {<p>Preparation and properties of Chitosan (CS)-clay nanocomposites grafted with polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) with different clay ratios are herein discussed. CS is intercalated into sodium montmorrilonite and PDMS is grafted onto CS under UV irradiation. Sample films of CS intercalated into clay and grafted with PDMS were prepared by solvent casting method with varying amount of nanoclay and PDMS. They were characterized by conventional techniques such as X-ray diffractometry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, C-13 NMR, thermo gravimetric analysis, and differential thermal analysis. Sorption behavior of samples has been followed by measuring swelling degree and issues on the interactions of biopolymers with clay are also discussed. The water absorption of composites films reduces with an increase in the amount of incorporated clay. This is due to the barrier formation in the form of cross-linking points, which prevents water permeation into CS. The amount of adsorbed water is more, when the amount of CS exceeds the amount of PDMS. This shows high water retention capacity of CS. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p>},
	keywords = {Chitosan, graft copolymerization, Nanocomposites, PDMS, water absorption},
	issn = {1552-4973},
	doi = {10.1002/jbm.b.30860},
	author = {Depan, Dilip and Kumar, Bijandra and Singh, Raj Pal}
}
