Characteristics Insulation

Typical characteristics of various insulation material for cables

Insulation compounds
Thermoplastics Crosslinked materials
Abbreviation(1) PVC PE PBT-FR TPE-E ETFE FEP PTFE EPR PE-X RX 125 RX 1555 RX 155 PVDF-X SIR
CENELEC-type T11 EI6 EI2
Thermal characteristics
Thermal resistance
20,000 h (°C) 70 70 110 110 135 180 250 90 90 120 130 135 135 180
24 h (°C) 100 100 160 160 220 240 300 180 180 200 220 220 220 260
Short circuit (°C) 160 100 160 160 250 250 300 250 250 280 280 280 300 350
Resistance to cold, moved (°C) -5 -55 -40 -40 -55 -55 -70 -40 -55 -40 -55 -55 -55 -55
Mechanical characteristics
Tensile strength (N/mm²) ≥12.5 ≥10 ≥25 ≥30 ≥30 ≥10 ≥20 ≥5.0 ≥12.5 ≥12.5 ≥12.5 ≥15 ≥28 ≥5.0
Elongation at break (%) ≥125 ≥300 ≥200 ≥200 ≥150 ≥200 ≥200 ≥200 ≥200 ≥200 ≥200 ≥300 ≥200 ≥150
Abrasion resistance satisf. good good excell. excell. satisf. satisf. satisf. excell. good excell. good excell. poor
Flexibility(2) satisf. poor poor poor poor poor poor excell. poor satisf. poor satisf. poor excell.
Electrical characteristics
Volume resistivity at 20°C(Wcm) 10 e14 10 e16 10 e15 10 e15 10 e16 10 e18 10 e18 10 e15 10 e16 10 e14 10 e16 10 e16 10 e14 10 e15
Dielectric constant at 1 kHz 5.0 2.3 3.7 3.8 2.6 2.2 2.0 3.0 2.4 4.2 2.6 2.8 5.7 3.0
Fire characteristics
Flame retardant yes no yes no yes yes yes no no yes yes yes yes yes
Halogen free no yes yes yes no no no yes yes yes no no no yes
Corrosive combustion gases yes no no no yes yes yes no no no yes yes yes no
Smoke generation strong average average average low low low average average low strong strong low average
Resistance to
Ionizing radiation (kGy) 100 1000 1000 1000 2000 100 1 2000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 500
Solvents3) satisf. satisf. good good excell. excell. excell. satisf. satisf. satisf. good satisf. excell. satisf.
Oils and fuels(3) satisf. satisf. good good excell. excell. excell. poor satisf. satisf. good satisf. excell. satisf.
acids and alkaline solutions(3) good excell. satisf. satisf. excell. excell. excell. excell. excell. good good good excell. satisf.
Water/Hydrolysis(3) good excell. satisf. satisf. excell. excell. excell. good excell good excell. excell. excell. excell.
Weather/UV radiation good poor good good excell. excell. excell. good satisf. good good good excell. excell.