EuroWire November 2023

Technology News

Photo courtesy of Orion SA

Orion conductive additives can extend cable service life

Acetylene black and conductive additives

additives. Planned for LaPorte, Texas, the facility is expected to begin operation during the first half of 2025. “Our new acetylene-based conductive additives plant will provide the North American wire and cable industry [with] a consistent, domestically produced and available supply of acetylene-based conductive additives,” said Jennifer S Stroh, PhD, Orion director of specialities sales and marketing, Americas. “We look forward to delivering custom solutions for all wire and cable applications, and in particular applying the attributes of Printex kappa 100 beads to the stringent requirements of high-voltage applications.” Orion SA https://orioncarbons.com

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Chemicals company Orion SA has launched Printex® kappa 100 beads for high cleanliness, purity and conductivity in high-voltage (HV) electric transmission cables. “Printex kappa 100 acetylene conductive additive offers excellent dispersibility, extremely high cleanliness and low sulphur impurities,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing manager for polymers. “As a result, it imparts best-in-class high conductivity and excellent surface smoothness to conductor and insulation shields, making it ideal for use in HV cables.” The company showcased the new products at the IWCS 2023 Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum in September, where it also highlighted

conductive to extend cable service life by providing conductivity, surface smoothness and UV protection to medium-voltage (MV) distribution and HV cables. Marketed under the Printex, Hiblack® and Arosperse® brand names, the grades impart target conductivity to minimise dielectric stress between the conductor and cable insulation. They are claimed to improve cable service life by adding conductivity characteristics to compounds for low-, medium- and high voltage cables, and by delivering UV protection for cable jacketing. To promote supply chain resilience and increase acetylene black availability, Orion will build the only US plant producing acetylene-based conductive additives designed

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November 2023