Momentive Electro LSR 242-1 Protecting Utility Insulators Against Harsh Climate and Pollution

Momentive Performance Materials, a leading manufacturer of custom heat-cured elastomers, liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and RTV adhesives, announced today that its Electro LSR 242-1 addition-cured LSR is being used in the Northern Siberian city of Norilsk to dramatically reduce the need for maintenance of utility insulators.
Rosizol, the first Russian producer of LSR hollow core insulators, introduced the new composite insulator based on Electro LSR 242-1 to Norsilk utility authorities in 2005. Since then, the new hollow core insulators from Rozisol have significantly outperformed the porcelain insulators in use by requiring no cleaning despite high levels of air pollution and harsh temperatures.

In addition to harsh temperatures, which average -10 degrees Celsius, the Blacksmith Institute has designated Norilsk as one of the ten most polluted places on earth. As a result, utility substations in the region are subject to heavy sedimentation of acidic highly dispersed atmospheric precipitates, conductive metallurgical dust and gas.

“The severe pollution in Norilsk means that extremely high levels of maintenance and cleaning are required to maintain the performance of porcelain insulators,” said Oliver Lebbaeus, Global Industry Manager HVI at Momentive. “By contrast, the hollow core insulators using Momentive’s Electro LSR 242-1 addition-cured LSR have required no cleaning since they were installed in 2005. The savings for the utility have been significant.”

Electro LSR 242-1 has been designed for outdoor insulating applications, delivering low viscosity, high flow-ability, fast curing and adept mechanical properties that give manufacturers new levels of design versatility for use in demanding environments. The outstanding electrical properties (Tracking Resistance: 4.5 kV) and the unique Hydrophobic properties (fast recovery and transfer through the pollution layer) make Electro LSR 242-1 an ideal material for a housing material to be used where pollution is present.

The Blacksmith Institute, a U.S.-based environmental group that works to identify and help clean up dangerously polluted sites, has reported that Norilsk’s air is polluted with particulates, including radioisotopes strontium-90, caesium-137 and heavy metals nickel copper, cobalt, lead and selenium. Air in the region also is polluted with gases, including nitrogen and carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, phenols and hydrogen sulfide.

To find out more about Electro LSR 242-1, please call 00.800.431.1000 or +31.164.293.276 or visit www.momentive.com

Press Contact Momentive Performance Materials

Momentive Performance Materials GmbHRobert Scheib
Communications Leader EMEA & India
D-51368 Leverkusen
Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 214 30 4 05 32
Cell Phone: +49 (0) 172 2 47 53 93
E-Mail Robert.Scheib@momentive.com
Website Information: www.momentive.com

Momentive Performance Materials – Business Overview

Momentive Performance Materials was created from the sale of GE Advanced Materials and its former Joint Ventures GE Bayer Silicones and GE Toshiba Silicones to Apollo Management, L.P. in December 2006. Momentive is the world’s second-largest producer of silicones and silicone derivatives and a global leader in the development and manufacture of products derived from quartz and advanced ceramics. Silicones are a multi-functional family of materials used in thousands of products and serve as a critical ingredient in many construction, transportation, personal care, electronic, consumer and agricultural uses.

Silicones are generally used as an additive to a wide variety of end-use products in order to provide or enhance certain of their attributes, such as resistance (heat, ultraviolet light and chemical), lubrication, adhesion or viscosity. Some of the most well-known end-use product applications include bath and shower caulk, pressure sensitive adhesive labels, foam products, cosmetics and tires. Our Quartz division manufactures quartz, specialty ceramics and crystal products for use in a number of high-technology industries, which typically require products made to precise specifications.

These materials solutions are used as springboards for innovation in hundreds of consumer and industrial applications ranging from car engines to biomedical devices to integrated circuits. Industries served include aerospace, agriculture, appliances, automotive, construction, electronics, furniture and furnishings, healthcare, home care, industrial, lighting, packaging, personal care, plastics, semiconductor, telecommunications, tire, transportation, and water purification.

World Headquarters: Wilton, Connecticut
President & CEO: Jonathan Rich
Number of Employees: Approximately 5,000
Revenue in 2006: $2.5 Billion
Website information available under: www.momentive.com

This release was published on openPR.