A method of making an insulated electrical member for high voltage use, said member having in combination, an electrical insulation layer disposed about said member, a linear conducting varnish layer covering a portion of the insulation layer, and a non-linear stress grading composition layer contacting at least a portion of the linear conducting varnish layer and covering at least a portion of the electrical insulation layer, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) disposing a porous mica containing layer about a conducting electrical member,
- (2) covering a portion of the mica layer with a layer comprising linear conducting varnish,
- (3) covering a portion of the mica layer and contacting the linear conducting varnish layer with a non-linear stress grading composition consisting essentially of the admixture of:
- (a) 100 parts by weight of cycloaliphatic epoxy resin,
- (b) about 2 parts to about 15 parts by weight of Lewis acid complex curing agent for the cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, and
- (c) about 200 parts to about 800 parts by weight of non-linear silicon carbide powder,
- (4) heating the covered electrical member at up to about 130.degree. C. to completely cure the non-linear stress grading composition,
- (5) impregnating the mica layer with a reactive, highly polar insulating resin composition containing acid anhydride, such that at least the portion of non-linear stress grading composition covering the mica layer is in intimate contact with the reactive, highly polar insulating resin composition containing acid anhydride, and
- (6) heating the covered, impregnated electrical member at over about 130.degree. C. for a time effective to cure the reactive, highly polar insulating resin composition, during which time the acid anhydride is free to chemically attack the non-linear stress grading composition;
- where the non-linear stress grading composition after insulating resin cure is characterized as remaining adherent to the member, with no substantial degradation by the reactive resin.