Image analysis and laser induced fluorescence combined to determine biological growth on silicone rubber insulators
High-voltage outdoor insulators made from silicone rubber are sometimes reported to be colonised by microorganisms. When the hydrophobic polymeric surface is covered by a hydrophilic biofilm, the electrical properties of the insulator are altered. In this work, mixed biofilms, similar to those formed on the surfaces of polymeric insulators in the field, were successfully grown on five types of sil