Thermoplastics are the most widely used synthetic materials in cable construction.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride)PVC is a well-known, common plastic but one of great significance in cable production as a jacket or insulation material. For cable applications, conventional rigid PVC is modified by adding plasticizers, stabilizers, filler materials and additives (lubricants, pigments, wax, and matting agents) to make PVC-P.
We use more than 50 formulations for different PVC-P blends in manufacturing specialuse cables. Dependent on the customer’s individual application needs we add plasticizers to alter the hardness of the PVC material (Shore A hardness). One of PVC’s disadvantages is that it has a high dielectric loss factor and when set on fire generates large volumes of smoke containing caustic fumes.

PE (polyethylene)This thermoplastic is favored as an insulation material for telecommunication cables because of its good dielectric characteristics. PE is free of halogens and has good mechanical properties, but it is highly combustible.

PP (polypropylene)PP belongs to the same family as PE, is also free of halogens, but does have better characteristics if exposed to fire.

PA (polyamide)PA is frequently used as a secondary insulation because of its good mechanical properties (high rigidity and hardness levels, good abrasion resistance, good characteristics under cold conditions down to -50° Celsius, high resistance to chemicals and weather). However, its electrical properties are limited.

FluoropolymersThermoplastic fluoropolymers have excellent chemical and thermal properties while at the same time providing very good insulation values. It must be said that material and processing costs are high.

We distinguish between the following types of fluoropolymer:

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)
Due to its good electrical, thermal and mechanical characteristics, PTFE is used for very thin insulation, in particular in aircraft engineering and aerospace technology.

PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride)
Of all the fluoropolymers PVDF has the best cost/performance ratio.

ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoropropylene)

The application temperatures of ETFE are an improvement over PVDF and are in the -65° to +180° Celsius range.

FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene)
As a whole FEP offers the best properties of all the fluoropolymers but at the same time is the most expensive.

PFA (tetrafluoropropene perfluorpropylvinylether)
PFA can be used under even more extreme conditions than FEP due to several quite specific characteristics.