Characteristics of Insulation and Jacket Materials
Materials for Cable Insulation and Cable Jackets
| Choosing the right insulation and jacket materials is essential for the construction and optimal performance of a cable. These materials play different roles based on the cable’s specific application and requirements. Proper selection ensures the cable’s durability, safety, and operational efficiency. |
Cable Insulation (Core Insulation)
| The main role of core insulation is to provide dielectric strength and insulation properties. Depending on the application, factors such as the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor can be crucial, particularly for high-quality communication cables. Selecting the right insulation material ensures optimal electrical performance, signal integrity, and long-term reliability. |
Cable Outer Jacket
| The outer jacket acts as a protective layer, shielding the cable from external factors. It plays a crucial role in determining the cable’s lifespan by offering resistance to: |
| • Mechanical stresses: Flexibility, tensile strength, elongation at break, and abrasion resistance. |
| • Environmental conditions: Operating temperature range, moisture and water resistance, and chemical resistance. |
| • Weather and UV exposure: Ensuring long-term durability in outdoor applications. |
| • Special applications: Radiation resistance, flame resistance, and smoke suppression for fire protection requirements. |
| Selecting the right jacket material improves the cable’s durability and reliability, ensuring it can endure the conditions of its intended environment. |
Selecting the Optimum Combination of Materials
| SAB Bröckskes uses a wide range of insulation and jacket materials in cable production. Along with common materials like PVC, PE, and PP, we also process specialized plastics such as PUR, TPE-E, TPE-O, TPE-V, and TPE-S, as well as high-performance materials like FEP, PFA, ETFE, and silicone. This broad selection allows us to create customer-specific material combinations tailored to the intended application. |
| While performance is our primary focus, we also prioritize cost-effectiveness by balancing price and durability. Additionally, environmental factors are crucial in our material selection process, with a strong preference for sustainable and recyclable options. |
| In industrial applications, PVC and PUR are the most commonly used outer jacket materials. Choosing the right one depends on the specific requirements of the application: |
| • PVC Jackets: Suitable for moderate mechanical stress, PVC cables are widely used in indoor or protected environments. They offer medium flexibility and resistance, making them ideal for applications where extreme durability is not required. |
| • PUR Jackets: Designed for high mechanical stresses, PUR cables excel in drag chains, robotics, and other highly flexible applications. They can endure millions of bending cycles and provide excellent abrasion resistance, UV resistance, and protection against moisture and chemicals. This makes them ideal for harsh environments and outdoor applications requiring a long service life. |
| By selecting the right insulation and jacket materials, cables can be optimized for their specific function, ensuring performance, longevity, and cost-efficiency. |
Technical Characteristics of Cable Insulation and Jacket Materials
| Material | Temperature Range Flexible |
Flame Retardance | Tensile Strength N/mm² |
Elongation at Break % |
Abrasion Resistance | Dielectric Constant at 800 Hz approx. |
Specific Resistance Ohm x cm |
Break-down Voltage kV/mm |
Radiation Resistance cJ/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVC special | +5°C/+70°C | good | 15 | 250 | medium | 4.0 | 1013 | 12 | 8 x 107 |
| PVC cold resistant | -20°C/+70°C | good | 15 | 250 | medium | 4.0 | 1013 | 12 | 8 x 107 |
| PVC heat resistant | +5°C/+105°C | good | 18 | 200 | medium | 3.5 | 1013 | 18 | 8 x 107 |
| PVC oil resistance | +5°C/+70°C | good | 15 | 250 | medium | 4.0 | 1013 | 12 | 8 x 107 |
| PUR halogen-free* | -40°C/+90°C | good | 25 | 400 | very good | 6.0 | 1012 | 20 | 5 x 107 |
| PE | -40°C/+70°C | - | 20 | 500 | good | 2.4 | 1017 | 30 | 7 x 106 |
| TPE* | -40°C/+90°C (up to +130°C) |
- | 30 | 500 | good | 3.3 | 1014 | 20 | 1 x 107 |
| Besilen® | +180°C | good | 7 | 200 | moderate | 3.2 | 1015 | 20 | 2 x 107 |
| FEP | +180°C | very good | 20 | 250 | good | 2.1 | 1018 | 20 | 5 x 106 |
| PFA | +250°C | very good | 20 | 250 | good | 2.1 | 1018 | 20 | 2 x 106 |
| ETFE | +135°C | very good | 45 | 250 | good | 2.6 | 1016 | 30 | 5 x 107 |
| SABIX®* from basis PP | -40°C/+90°C | - | 30 | 500 | good | 2.3 | 1016 | 30 | - |
| SABIX®* from basis PO | -40°C/+90°C | very good | 9 | 125 | moderate | 4.7 | 1014 | - | 1 x 107 |
| SABIX®** connected | -40°C/+90°C | very good | 12 | 125 | moderate | 5.0 | - | - | - |
The values in this table are approximates and are not complete (technical modification subject to alteration).
* depending on execution ** electron beam cross-linked types