Composite Materials for High Voltage Electrical Insulation

Insulation materials designed to be mechanically and electrically strong.

Proven over decades, prepared for the future.

Norplex-Micarta produces high performance materials with various properties for use in high voltage insulation applications in electrical equipment such as control devices and power transformers. 

Depending on the application, Norplex-Micarta can alter the material properties to make them insulative, fully conductive, or semi-conductive in order to create static dissipative products. For simple stamped parts, most materials are manufactured in punching-suitable thicknesses up to 0.125 inch.

For electrical and structural applications, Norplex-Micarta is capable of manufacturing sheet products up to 12 inches thick. Some shapes can be molded to reduce the amount of machining required, making the thermoset materials even more economical. Surface sheets can be added to core materials to customize them for specific applications or to fine-tune material properties.

Paper-Phenolic Materials

Norplex-Micarta offers a variety of paper phenolic sheets. This cost-effective line of products consists of multiple plies of various papers impregnated with phenolic resins and laminated under heat and pressure to produce a thermoset composite. Both papers and resins can be modified to change the finished properties of the final laminate.

These products offer thermal, mechanical isolation, and thermal and electrical insulation properties that meet or exceed those of most thermoplastic materials. The properties and cost-effectiveness of these products often make them the insulators of choice in low-voltage, dry-service electrical equipment.

Paper-Epoxy Materials

These products consist of multiple plies of various papers impregnated with specialty epoxy resin systems and laminated under heat and pressure to produce a thermoset composite. Both papers and resins can be modified to change the finished properties of the final product, and once cured, they will not melt like most thermoplastics.

Thermoset epoxy composites are ideal for applications ranging from small switch parts to insulating high voltage tap chargers in power transformers, and other applications requiring electrical insulation properties.

Glass-Epoxy Materials

Consisting of electrical grade epoxy resin systems combined with a variety of glass fabric substrates, these fiberglass composite materials are suitable for a variety of structural, electronic, and electrical applications.

High temperature fiberglass epoxy resin systems offer superior mechanical strength and insulative properties over a wide temperature range. These products feature high mechanical strength at continuous operating temperatures up to 180°C in mechanical applications. In response to customer requests, Norplex-Micarta can change the resins to enable products to withstand even higher continuous operating temperatures. Several standard grades can handle temperatures much higher than 180°C for short periods of time.

At elevated temperatures up to 155°C, epoxy composites retain at least 50 percent of their room temperature flexural strength. Several types meet various industrial standard requirements. The materials can also be produced on alternate glass styles for applications that have specific requirements.

All of these materials can be laminated with other electrical materials to modify the surface electrical or tribological properties as needed for specific applications.

Featured Materials

When designing with composites, the options are virtually infinite.
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Infinite Possibilities

Norplex-Micarta produces materials in prepreg, sheet, and shape form.

Have a requirement for a mechanically strong insulating material?
Contact our applications engineers to discuss how thermoset composites can be customized to meet the needs of your specific application.