Neu-Isenburg, March 2014. DuPont Chemicals and Fluoroproducts (DC&F) will be exhibiting its wide range of fluoroplastics for the wire and cable industry in hall 17, stand D59 at Wire 2014. A new addition to the range is ECCtreme® ECA, a class of melt-extrudable perfluoroplastics which combines the advantageous mechanical, electrical and chemical properties of PTFE with high thermal stability. For instance, at a thickness of 0.75 mm, the material has an RTI (Relative Thermal Index) listing of 300 °C according to UL 746B. Thanks to its continuous service temperature of 300 °C, ECCtreme® ECA thus exceeds the previous upper limit of 260 °C for conventional perfluoroplastic insulating materials.
“This development is our response to industry’s challenge to offer a high-temperature, melt-extrudable perfluoroplastic”, explains Frenk Hulsebosch, Global Business Leader at DuPont Fluoropolymer Solutions.
ECCtreme® ECA grades can be processed on conventional extrusion equipment for high-temperature fluoroplastics using standard processing conditions. Downstream heat treatment (epitaxial co-crystallisation) improves the material’s thermal resistance and offers beneficial mechanical properties, such as long-term tensile modulus and improved stress cracking resistance.
The material is suitable for wire and cable insulations, which are exposed to extreme service conditions such as very high temperatures, elevated pressures and corrosive surroundings. Typical fields of application are the oil and gas industry, aerospace, energy generation, semiconductor fabrication and the automotive industry.
Further products presented on the stand will include Teflon® fluoroplastic foam resins (FFR) produced using patented Airquick technology. Cables made with foamed fluoroplastic insulation have a lower signal return loss than conventional data cables, so enabling miniaturisation and weight savings thanks to lower density and thinner insulation thicknesses. One current example is the new KL24 Star-Quad data cable developed for the aerospace industry by Draka Fileca, Sainte-Geneviève, France which won a DuPont Plunkett Award in 2013. At identical diameter, it is up to 25% lighter than previously used quad cables and enables a reduction in aircraft fuel consumption, so reducing environmental impact.
Wire and cable insulation made from DuPont Chemicals and Fluoroproducts (DC&F) have extreme chemical resistance, very good electrical properties and elevated thermal stability. Common features are elevated dielectric strength, low permittivity, a low dissipation factor combined with extremely low specific electrical resistance.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
