Durability of Transmission Lines

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Corrosion, Wear and Erosion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 18802

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
Interests: corrosion; anti-icing; superhydrophobic; interface

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Guizhou Power Grid Corporation, Institute Electric Power Science, Guiyang 550007, China
Interests: corrosion protection of power equipment; anti-icing of transmission lines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate and environmental factors such as icing, corrosion, pollution, heat and UV can be detrimental to outdoor transmission lines (including overhead wires and insulators). For instance, they can cause flashover and equipment damage, resulting in power interruption. Advanced functional coatings have distinguished application prospects in improving anti-icing, anti-corrosion, and anti-fouling properties, among others. However, their effectiveness and durability in the operation of transmission lines are still insufficient. Due to the importance of durability for transmission lines, we invite you to submit your recent research work to the Special Issue titled “Durability of Transmission Lines”.

This Special Issue aims to gather the latest innovations in the field, regarding the following:

  • Corrosion behavior of transmission lines and corrosion resistance;
  • Anti-icing surfaces/coatings for overhead line conductors and insulators;
  • Pollution flashover of insulators and antifouling coatings;
  • Corrosion resistant coatings, antiultraviolet ageing coatings, anti-thermal coatings;
  • Advanced functional surfaces and interfaces;
  • Durability of surfaces/coatings.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Yuan Yuan
Guest Editor

Prof. Dr. Bo Li
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • overhead lines
  • insulator
  • anti-aging
  • anti-icing
  • coating
  • antifouling
  • ice adhesion
  • icephobicity
  • flashover
  • durability

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 9068 KiB  
Article
A Superhydrophobic Anti-Icing Surface with a Honeycomb Nanopore Structure
by Bo Li, Huiying Xiang, Xu Dai, Tao Zhu, Xujiang Hua and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(11), 1971; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13111971 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1269
Abstract
Recently, the icing disaster of transmission lines has been a serious threat to the safe operation of the power system. A superhydrophobic (SHP) anti-icing surface with a honeycomb nanopore structure was constructed using anodic oxidation technology combined with a vacuum infusion process. When [...] Read more.
Recently, the icing disaster of transmission lines has been a serious threat to the safe operation of the power system. A superhydrophobic (SHP) anti-icing surface with a honeycomb nanopore structure was constructed using anodic oxidation technology combined with a vacuum infusion process. When the current density was 87.5 mA/cm2, the honeycomb porous surface had the best superhydrophobic performance (excellent water mobility), lowest ice-adhesion strength (0.7 kPa) and best anti-frosting performance. Compared with other types of alumina surfaces, the ice-adhesion strength of the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) was only 0.2% of that of the bare surface. The frosting time of the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) was 150 min, which was much slower. The former is attributed to the air cushion within the porous structure and the stress concentration, and the latter is attributed to the self-transition of the droplets and low solid–liquid heat transfer area. After 100 icing or frosting cycles, the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) maintained a low ice-adhesion strength and superhydrophobic performance. This is because the anodic oxidation process forms a hard porous film, and the nano porous structure with a high aspect ratio can store modifiers to realize self-healing. The results indicate that the SHP surface with a honeycomb nanopore structure presents excellent anti-icing performance and durability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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13 pages, 6976 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Second Anodization Parameters on the Hydrophobicity and Anti-Icing Properties of Al Surface with Composite Nanopore Structure
by Bo Li, Jie Bai, Liuqing Yang, Lusong Zhang, Xu Dai, Cheng Zhang, Xujiang Hua, Tao Zhu, Huiying Xiang, Ruijin Liao and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(11), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13111859 - 29 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1123
Abstract
Icing on transmission lines often causes potential electric damage in power systems. Superhydrophobic anodized Al conductors have been proposed to have good anti-icing properties. In this study, superhydrophobic anodized Al conductors with composite nanopore structures were prepared by a two-step anodization. The microstructure, [...] Read more.
Icing on transmission lines often causes potential electric damage in power systems. Superhydrophobic anodized Al conductors have been proposed to have good anti-icing properties. In this study, superhydrophobic anodized Al conductors with composite nanopore structures were prepared by a two-step anodization. The microstructure, hydrophobicity, and anti-icing properties of composite nanopore structures were compared and studied. The optimal preparation parameter was determined as a current density of 0.04375 A/cm2 and anodization time of 15 min. Compared with the bare substrate, the optimal anodized Al surface of the composite nanopore structures show excellent hydrophobic and anti-icing properties, including a contact angle of 173°, a contact angle hysteresis of 0.122°, an ice adhesion strength of 0.71 kPa, and a glaze icing weight of 0.1 g after the 8 h. Therefore, the prepared anodized Al surface of composite nanopore structures with good anti-icing properties has profound application potential for overhead transmission lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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19 pages, 21095 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Coatings by Using Spraying and Analysis of Their Anti-Icing Properties
by Lei Fan, Mingyong Xia, Jian Liu, Bo Li, Tao Zhu, Yingying Zhao, Linbo Song and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(10), 1792; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13101792 - 19 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1566
Abstract
Ice accumulation on glass insulators is likely to cause faults such as flashover, tripping and power failure, which interfere with the normal operation of the power grid. Accordingly, superhydrophobic coatings with great anti-icing potential have received much attention. In this study, three superhydrophobic [...] Read more.
Ice accumulation on glass insulators is likely to cause faults such as flashover, tripping and power failure, which interfere with the normal operation of the power grid. Accordingly, superhydrophobic coatings with great anti-icing potential have received much attention. In this study, three superhydrophobic coatings (PTFE, Al2O3 and SiO2) were successfully prepared on glass surfaces by using one-step spraying. The microscopic morphology, wettability, anti-icing and anti-glaze icing properties of the superhydrophobic coatings were comparatively analyzed. The results indicated that the PTFE coating had a densely distributed rough structure, showing a contact angle of 165.5° and a sliding angle of 3.1°. The water droplets on the surface could rebound five times. Compared with the Al2O3 and SiO2 coatings, the anti-icing performance of the PTFE coating was significantly improved. The freezing time was far more than 16 times that of glass (4898.7 s), and the ice adhesion strength was 9 times lower than that of glass (27.5 kPa). The glaze icing test in the artificial climate chamber showed that the icing weight of the PTFE coating was 1.38 g, which was about 32% lower than that of the glass. In addition, the icing/melting and abrasion cycles destroyed the low-surface-energy substances and nanostructures on the surface, leading to the degradation of the anti-icing durability of the PTFE coatings. However, the PTFE coating still maintained excellent hydrophobicity and anti-icing properties after UV irradiation for up to 624 h. The superhydrophobic coatings prepared in this work have promising development prospects and offer experimental guidance for the application of anti-icing coatings on glass insulators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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13 pages, 6581 KiB  
Article
Fabrication, Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Zn/Al Composite Coating by Arc Spraying
by Bo Li, Dan Yang, Zhuoyi Liu, Jinhang He, Jie Bai, Haibo Jiang, Ye Tian, Zhiqing Zhang and Shifeng Liu
Coatings 2023, 13(8), 1406; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13081406 - 10 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1218
Abstract
In this work, the Zn/Al composite coating was prepared on the surface of Q345 steel using arc spraying. The simple and efficient cold-pressing technique was used for the composite coating. The cold pressure sealing (CPS) technique is proposed to reduce the porosity of [...] Read more.
In this work, the Zn/Al composite coating was prepared on the surface of Q345 steel using arc spraying. The simple and efficient cold-pressing technique was used for the composite coating. The cold pressure sealing (CPS) technique is proposed to reduce the porosity of the composite coating. The corrosion behavior of Zn/Al composite coatings without and with cold pressure sealing treatment in a corrosive environment was studied. The microstructures of composite coatings without and with CPS were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the corrosion properties of composite coating without and with CPS were comparatively investigated. The results showed that the porosity of the composite coating was significantly reduced to 2% by CPS. After 28 days of immersion, the dense corrosion products filled the defect area in the CPS sample. After CPS treatment, the corrosion potential is −0.829 V, and the corrosion current density is 5.636 × 10−6 A/cm2. After cold pressing, the bonding strength of the coating is 13.82 MPa, which is 43% higher than that before the sealing treatment. The Zn/Al composite coating treated by CPS exhibits excellent corrosion resistance in the simulated marine environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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16 pages, 12392 KiB  
Article
Effect of Sealing Treatment on Corrosion Resistance of Arc-Sprayed Zn and Zn85-Al15 Coatings
by Bo Li, Zhuoyi Liu, Jinhang He, Jie Bai, Haibo Jiang, Ye Tian, Zhiqing Zhang and Shifeng Liu
Coatings 2023, 13(6), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13061063 - 8 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
This study investigated the corrosion morphology of arc-sprayed Zn and Zn85-Al15 coatings with and without sealing treatment under simulated defect conditions. The hole sealing treatment was carried out by Conventional Impregnation Sealing (CIS). The performance of two coatings was assessed by employing morphological [...] Read more.
This study investigated the corrosion morphology of arc-sprayed Zn and Zn85-Al15 coatings with and without sealing treatment under simulated defect conditions. The hole sealing treatment was carried out by Conventional Impregnation Sealing (CIS). The performance of two coatings was assessed by employing morphological analysis, chemical composition, and electrochemical studies. The results showed that the corrosion performance of two coatings with sealing treatments was better than that of the un-sealing coating. Through the double protection of coating and sealing treatment, the defect-free material has excellent anti-corrosion performance in the salt spray experiment. In the simulated defect environment, the Zn-Al coating has better corrosion resistance, and the corrosion products are denser and more stable near the defects, which reduces the overall corrosion rate of the coating. The electrochemical experiment results demonstrated that the Zn-Al coating exhibited a three times lower corrosion rate compared to the Zn coating in the immersion experiment, and the corrosion rate did not change with the thickness of the coating. The average adhesion values of the two different methods (chilled iron and alumina) were similar (~8 MPa), but after the salt spray test, the adhesion strength increased. The corrosion mechanisms of Zn coating and Zn-Al coating are analyzed and compared. In general, it was indicated that the Zn85/Al15 coating prepared by sealing treatment has better corrosion resistance than the matrix steel. This study can provide some reference for corrosion behavior in defect environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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13 pages, 14222 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Slippery Surfaces on Aluminum Alloy and Its Anti-Icing Performance in Glaze Ice
by Bo Li, Jie Bai, Lei Fan, Xianyin Mao, Zhimin Ding, Hao Mu, Guoyong Liu and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(4), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13040732 - 3 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1883
Abstract
Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have received growing attention as promising icephobic materials. In this study, SLIPS were prepared on aluminum alloys by combining anodization and infusion of common silicone oil. An SLIPS with low ice-adhesion strength (6 kPa) was obtained by optimizing [...] Read more.
Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have received growing attention as promising icephobic materials. In this study, SLIPS were prepared on aluminum alloys by combining anodization and infusion of common silicone oil. An SLIPS with low ice-adhesion strength (6 kPa) was obtained by optimizing the anodizing time parameters (10 min). In addition, the frosting process and freezing of water droplets on the as-prepared SLIPS at −10 °C were delayed for 2000 s and 4800 s, respectively. Simultaneously, the as-prepared SLIPS also exhibited excellent anti-icing performance in glaze ice, since the supercooled water drips/ice slipped from the surface. The ice weight of the as-prepared SLIPS was significantly lower than that of the bare aluminum surface and the anti-icing-fluid-coated aluminum surface, which was reduced by 38.2%–63.6% compared with the bare aluminum surface. The ice weight increased with decreased temperature and inclination angle. This work proposes a method suitable for large-area preparation of SLIPS that achieves excellent anti-icing performance and significantly reduces the weight of glaze ice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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18 pages, 9071 KiB  
Article
Superhydrophobic Epoxy/Fluorosilicone/PTFE Coatings Prepared by One-Step Spraying for Enhanced Anti-Icing Performance
by Lei Fan, Bo Li, Yan Wang, Jinhang He, Jie Bai, Tao Zhu and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(3), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13030569 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2636
Abstract
The icing of glass insulators is likely to cause faults such as insulator flashover, which poses a serious threat to the power system. Traditional deicing techniques have the disadvantage of being costly and inefficient. Herein, polytetrafluoroethylenes (PTFEs) as nanoparticles and epoxy and fluorosilicone [...] Read more.
The icing of glass insulators is likely to cause faults such as insulator flashover, which poses a serious threat to the power system. Traditional deicing techniques have the disadvantage of being costly and inefficient. Herein, polytetrafluoroethylenes (PTFEs) as nanoparticles and epoxy and fluorosilicone resins as binders were blended to construct an anti-icing coating. The superhydrophobic (SHP) epoxy/fluorosilicone/PTFE coatings for anti-icing were successfully prepared on glass slides through one-step spraying. The effect of PTFE mass fraction on the microstructure, on the wettability and on the anti-icing properties of the coatings was investigated. The results showed that the coatings with different PTFE mass fractions had different microstructures. When the PTFE mass fraction was 47.2%, the SHP coating exhibited a uniform rough structure with an apparent contact angle as high as 164.7° and a sliding angle as low as 3.2°. Moreover, the water droplets can bounce back five times with a contact time of only 9.5 ms and a rebound height of 4.58 mm. In the low-temperature environment (−10 °C), the SHP coating displayed good anti-frosting, anti-icing and icephobic properties. The delayed frosting time (1499 s) and delayed freezing time (1295.3 s) of the SHP coating were three and five times longer than those of the glass, respectively. The SHP coating presented an ice-adhesion strength (39.8 kPa) that was six times lower than that of glass. The prepared SHP coating demonstrated potential applications for the anti-icing of glass insulators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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15 pages, 6362 KiB  
Article
Water-Droplet Impact and Sliding Behaviors on Slippery Surfaces with Various Weber Numbers and Surface Inclinations
by Bo Li, Lei Fan, Jie Bai, Huiying Xiang and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(2), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13020264 - 22 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2053
Abstract
The dynamic behaviors of water droplets on a slippery surface are significant to practical anti-icing applications. Herein, the impact and sliding behavior of water droplets on lubricant-infused surfaces (LISs) were investigated with a high-speed camera. LISs were prepared by infusing perfluoropolyether oils into [...] Read more.
The dynamic behaviors of water droplets on a slippery surface are significant to practical anti-icing applications. Herein, the impact and sliding behavior of water droplets on lubricant-infused surfaces (LISs) were investigated with a high-speed camera. LISs were prepared by infusing perfluoropolyether oils into anodized porous surfaces. The results show that the maximum spreading diameter and retraction velocity of the impact droplet increased with the We number. For LIS-100, the spreading factor at 2.5 ms increased from 2.00 to 3.88 with We increasing from 30 to 267. Low-viscosity lubricant facilitated the retraction speed and rebound of droplet impact on the surface, while high-viscosity lubricant contributed to the lubricant stability of the LIS. Additionally, high inclination angle (θ) facilitated the rapid shedding of water droplets on the surface. The velocity increased rapidly from 1.04 to 4.66 mm/s with θ increasing from 15° to 45°. The LIS prepared with low-viscosity lubricant had a high sliding velocity, and the sliding velocity of water droplets on LIS-100 was about seven times faster than that on LIS-104. This work reveals the impacting law of water droplets on LISs and provides useful information for the design of LISs under drop impact conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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Review

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25 pages, 5727 KiB  
Review
A Review on Superhydrophobic Surface with Anti-Icing Properties in Overhead Transmission Lines
by Bo Li, Jie Bai, Jinhang He, Chao Ding, Xu Dai, Wenjun Ci, Tao Zhu, Ruijin Liao and Yuan Yuan
Coatings 2023, 13(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13020301 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 4372
Abstract
The icing on overhead transmission lines is one of the largest threats to the safe operation of electric power systems. Compared with other security accidents in the electric industry, a sudden ice disaster could cause the most serious losses to electric power grids. [...] Read more.
The icing on overhead transmission lines is one of the largest threats to the safe operation of electric power systems. Compared with other security accidents in the electric industry, a sudden ice disaster could cause the most serious losses to electric power grids. Among the numerous de-icing and anti-icing techniques for application, direct current ice-melting and mechanical de-icing schemes require power cuts and other restrictive conditions. Superhydrophobic coating technology has been widely focused for good anti-icing properties, low cost and wide application range. However, the special structure of curved transmission lines, complicated service environments, and variated electric performance could significantly limit the application of superhydrophobic anti-icing coatings on overhead transmission lines. In particular, superhydrophobic surfaces can be achieved by combining the rough micro-nano structure and modification agents with low surface energy. Compared with superhydrophobic coatings, superhydrophobic surfaces will not increase the weight of the substrate and have good durability and stability in maintaining the robust structure to repeatedly resist aging, abrasion, corrosion and corona damages, etc. Therefore, this review summarizes the theoretical basis of anti-icing behavior and mechanisms, influencing factors of anti-icing properties, potential techniques of superhydrophobic surfaces on transmission lines, and, finally, presents future development challenges and prospects of superhydrophobic surfaces in the anti-icing protection of overhead transmission lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durability of Transmission Lines)
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