Wire and cable are increasingly being used in civil, industrial and military applications. These applications attach great importance to the insulator and jacket of wire and cable, which protect the physical and electrical properties of wires exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time. Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) not only meet the needs of these applications, but also have excellent properties of rubber elasticity, low temperature resistance, UV resistance and ozone resistance, making them the best partners for wire and cable.

　　Innovative application examples of TPEs in wire and cable

　　The temperature rating is a consideration of the maximum temperature value that a wire can sustainably withstand and is usually determined by the heat aging properties of the compound used to make the insulator or sheath. These materials must withstand both the heat released by the conductor resistance and the heat of the end-user environment. The thermal stability of cable compounds is also challenged by the bundling of numerous wires in a single cable, the dense installation of multiple heel cables in enclosed spaces and the exposure of cables to water.

　　The new TPE compounds developed by Plastisol ODL can be used continuously in high temperature environments up to 120°C. Styrene-based TPEs routinely used in appliance wiring and automation control cables have an applicable temperature of 105°C. And common building wire used to distribute electrical current in houses and buildings has an application temperature of only 90°C.

　　Plasper has expanded the performance of TPEs as cable constructions to meet more complex, rigorous and severe end-use environments. In addition to generating insulation or jacketing by extrusion, they can be injection molded to form connectors, gaskets, cable elastomeric strain reliefs and plugs. Flexible in extreme cold environments, they are also resistant to sunlight, specific oils and chemicals, and friction. It is PVC and phthalate-free, easy to color, and does not require pre-drying.

　　TPE is a partner for wire and cable because of its unique rubber flexibility, excellent resistance to low temperatures, UV and ozone.