A novel self-healing power cable insulating material based on host–guest interactions

The insulating materials used in power cables are susceptible to damage and cracks during installation and operation. To solve this problem, we have prepared a self-healing material PVP/p(HEMA-co-BA), which is synthesized by radical polymerization using HEMA, BA, PVP and a host–guest assembly. The host–guest assembly is constructed through interactions between host and guest molecules (CD–Al2O3 NPs act as the host, and HEMA–Ad acts as the guest). The characterization results of the materials show that there are two kinds of supramolecular interactions, namely, the host–guest interaction and the hydrogen bonding. The material possesses good thermal stability (heat-resisting temperature can reach 200 °C) and good electrical performance. The storage modulus of the material can be increased up to 432 MPa using a cross-linking agent at 20 °C. Furthermore, the material exhibits self-healing property, and it can self-heal several times; its self-healing efficiency is relative to the dosage of the cross-linking agent.