What is Insulator?

Electric Insulators play an important role in Safeguarding us from the potentially harmful Impacts of Electricity. Electron mobility is necessary for the flow of electrical current. The atoms in insulators contain electrons that bond tightly to the material and remain there. As electrons are static, current can’t move through them easily, creating a barrier that keeps electrical shocks from occurring.

Origin of Insulator

Ceramics and glass materials were the earliest devices used for making insulators. Soon it was observed that ceramic material didn’t perform very well with time first non-ceramic insulator was polymer which was introduced to enhance the performance. Telegraph lines were the first electrical systems to put insulators in use. With the advancement, insulators have started to come in various shapes and devices and are made of different materials. There are various insulators like Porcelain, Glass Insulators, Polymer Insulators, Ceramic Insulators, Rubber Insulators, Mica Insulators, Foam Insulators, and Silicone Rubber Insulators, each serving a different purpose.

The term insulator refers to a device whose prime function is to ‘insulate’. An insulator is an electrical device that opposes the flow of current in a circuit. This quality of insulators to resist the motion of electrons is of great electrical advantage. They are often used as a protection device in certain circuits with high currents.

In this article, We will discuss what an is Insulator? with its types which are Pin Insulator, Suspension Insulator, Strain Insulator, hackle Insulator, Post Insulator, Stay Insulator, and Disc Insulator. We also discuss their characteristics, applications in real life and what are some of their advantages and disadvantages. Some examples have been added for a better understanding of the concept.