Describe various properties and applications of mica and transformer oil.
Properties and uses of MICA
Mica has a high dielectric strength and good chemical stability, making it a favoured material for manufacturing capacitors for radio occurrence applications. It has also been used as an insulator in high voltage electrical equipment. It is also birefringent and is usually used to make quarter and half wave plates. Because mica is resistant to heat it is used instead of glass in windows for stoves and kerosene heaters. It is also used to separate electrical conductors in cables that are designed to have a fire-resistance rating in order to give circuit integrity. The idea is to keep the metal conductors from fusing in order to prevent a short-circuit so that the cables remain operational during a fire, which can be significant for applications such as emergency lighting.