Mechanical properties of mica insulation

A large amount of work has been done and still is being done to investigate the effect of the electrical stress on the insulation, as well as the degradation caused by the elevated temperature by itself. But an increasing amount of work is now being done to also evaluate the mechanical behavior of the insulation. Because of the three components it contains, the insulation composite that is used today for the stator winding is rather complex. From an electrical standpoint at least, mica is the most important component of the insulation. With the present stage of insulation technology, no satisfactory substitute is available, and mica remains to be a vital component in all generator systems.