EuroWire March 2025

Technology News

Compounds for sustainability and fire safety The wire and cable industry faces increasing pressures to meet diverse demands from its stakeholders. Cabopol also offers a halogen free, flame-retardant

demand for sustainable energy solutions grows, so does the need for advanced cable materials for applications such as wind turbine systems, solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Cabopol has responded by expanding its product portfolio, production capacity and technical expertise. The Sofiplus One compound portfolio now includes halogen-free materials for power cables, suitable for curing by e-beam, moisture or continuous vulcanisation (CV) processes. These innovations support the durability and performance requirements of cables used in renewable energy systems. Cabopol Polymer Compounds www.cabopol.com acetylene-based conductive additives for wire and cable, lithium-ion battery and other applications for the global shift to electrification. The facility is expected to begin operation in the second quarter of 2025. Jennifer S Stroh, PhD, Orion vice president of sales and marketing Americas, commented, “We look forward to providing the North American wire and cable industry a consistent supply of domestically produced acetylene based conductive additives. We also look forward to customising solutions for all wire and cable applications as we continue to develop new conductive products and travel the arc of innovation.” Orion SA https://orioncarbons.com

thermoplastic compound for low and medium voltage sheathing and insulating flexible cables, containing ten per cent PCR content and enabling an eight per cent reduction in CO 2 emissions. To assist customers in making informed decisions, Cabopol offers “cradle to gate” life cycle analyses (LCAs) for its products, adhering to ISO 14067 and ISO 14040 standards. These analyses provide a comprehensive overview of the environmental impact of each product, offering customers an advantage in selecting the most suitable formulations and applications. renewable energies is another factor shaping the wire and cable industry. As global The transition towards Printex kappa 60 conductive additive meets the dispersion and cleanliness requirements for wire and cable applications. In separate product developments, two new circular additives produced from end-of-life tyre pyrolysis oil match the performance of regular, fossil-based speciality carbon black used in cable jacketing. offer dispersibility, high cleanliness, purity and conductivity, making them suitable for use in high voltage (HV) electric transmission cables. To increase acetylene black availability, in 2024 Orion broke ground on a plant in La Porte, Texas, that it says will be the only facility in the USA producing Orion’s Printex premium, acetylene-based kappa 100 beads

Manufacturers must comply with strict fire safety regulations, adopt sustainable materials and achieve high productivity and cost efficiency. Cabopol works closely with customers to tackle these issues and to support sustainability goals. The company’s R&D team has introduced compounds under the R-Sofiplus brand that include an advanced polyethylene (PE) flame-retardant grade for medium voltage power cable sheathing, incorporating 30 per cent post consumer recycled (PCR) content. This development provides a fully formulated, natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) solution and achieves a 26 per cent reduction in total CO 2 emissions.

Conductive additives Printex® kappa 60 from global chemicals company Orion SA is a conductive additive designed for conductive polymer compounds.

Orion conductive additives are claimed to increase cable service life by delivering high product purity, desired conductivities, surface smoothness and UV protection to medium voltage (MV) distribution and high voltage (HV) transmission cables. “Over time, we’ve optimised the colloidal properties of legacy conductive additives to ensure excellent dispersibility and product cleanliness in our newest grades plus those in development,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing manager for polymers and special applications.

Compounds for use in plenum fire-resistant cables

Additional compounds are available, and custom formulations and colours can be developed to meet specific requirements. Applications include CATV cable, control cable, data cable, fibre optic cable, fire protection cable, telecom cable, access control cable and AV cable. Geon Performance Solutions www.geon.com

compounds for use in plenum fire resistant cables (that meet UL 444/UL 910 and NFPA 262 specifications). Key characteristics of these compounds are their flame and smoke properties, rated up to 90°C; flexibility at low temperatures; indoor/outdoor capabilities; sunlight (UV) and fungus resistance; good dielectric characteristics; and non antimony formulations in accordance with California’s Proposition 65.

Geon has a wide portfolio of compounds for use in power and communication cables. The company states that its products can offer a balance of performance, quality, service and manufacturing footprint, with more than 200 years of technical experience. The company’s technical team has developed a comprehensive series of next-generation Plenstar® PVC

42

www.read-eurowire.com

March 2025