Oil-impregnated densified wood veneer with high electrical insulation enabled by nanosized oil channels.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42268977.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aed5744 and PMC identifier 13251868.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Growing energy demands and renewable integration are stressing the aging power grid infrastructure. Lignocellulosic oil-impregnated paper is widely used in power transformers but suffers from critical limitations, such as low dielectric strength, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity, causing premature transformer failures. Here, we demonstrate a superior electrically insulating oil-impregnated paper design using the naturally anisotropic structure of densified wood veneer to achieve nanosized channels of oil that efficiently disrupt electrical breakdown pathways. The developed oil-impregnated densified wood (ODW) creates aligned cellulose fibers with 166 ± 87-nanometer oil nanochannels, achieving record dielectric strength of 105 kilovolts per millimeter. The structure also delivers a mechanical strength of up to 384 megapascals and a thermal conductivity of 0.33 watts per meter per kelvin, enabling enhanced longevity upon thermal aging tests. The ODW could replace conventional transformer insulation to enhance power transformer performance and improve lifetime. Moreover, its anisotropic oil-filled nanochannel design offers a general strategy for hybrid dielectrics in medium- and high-voltage applications.