Comparison of mechanical and physical behaviors of carbon/basalt/epoxy hybrid composite rod with carbon/glass/epoxy hybrid composite rod used in ACCC conductor core

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Abstract
The demand for increased distribution capacity in transmission lines has led to the growing use of hybrid composite rods as the reinforcing core of Aluminum Conductor Composite Core overhead conductors, known as ACCC. These rods usually consist of a carbon fiber‐reinforced epoxy matrix composite core surrounded by an outer shell made of a glass fiber‐reinforced epoxy matrix composite. The outer shell composite can be reinforced with basalt fibers, which are being used more frequently due to their favorable properties. In this research, mechanical properties such as flexural strength, physical properties including density and electrical resistance, and thermal behavior of carbon/basalt/epoxy (CBE) and also carbon/glass/epoxy (CGE) hybrid composite rods fabricated by the pultrusion process have been investigated. The CBE composite exhibited approximately 4% higher mean flexural strength than CGE. Additionally, the CBE composite showed higher thermal stability, as indicated by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The CGE composite has about 4% higher density than the CGE composite, leading to higher mass per unit length of the resultant ACCC conductor. Finally, the fracture surfaces of hybrid composite rods have been studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate the better mechanical and thermal properties of carbon/basalt/epoxy hybrid composite rods. Highlights: Growing use of hybrid composite rods in ACCC overhead conductors. Hybrid composite rods have a carbon fiber core and glass‐reinforced outer shell. Basalt fibers increasingly used to reinforce the outer shell composite. Pultrusion process used for producing the hybrid composite rods. Fracture surfaces of hybrid composite rods studied using SEM.

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