Insulation & Jacketing Materials Properties

Insulation for wires and cables is designed for specific environments ranging from relatively docile surroundings as in a laboratory, metrology, or indoor AC electric supplies, to very harsh environments where extreme temperatures are present, abusive physical conditions wear on the insulation, or wide ranges of flexure and/or vibration are applied continually. Of course, preventing the conductors inside the insulation from making physical contact is the primary concern. Without a protective insulation covering, the service life can be severely reduced, creating not just system failure, but the potential for fire or electrocution. If the insulation cannot handle the voltage levels being supported by the conductors, then short circuits will occur and/or exposure to electrocution hazards might be present. Even regions of partial weakness in the insulation can cause problems like cross-talk between wires and a particularly difficult problem to troubleshoot - intermittent shorts.

This table of insulation & jacketing materials properties will help get you started when researching your needs. Once you have a good idea of what you are looking for, please take a look at the Coaxial, Ribbon, Twisted Pair, & Braided Single & Multiconductor Cable & Wire Assemblies page for suppliers.

Abrasion

Resistance

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Fair

Excellent

Good

Fair

Good

Heat

Resistance

Excellent

Fair

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Weatherability

Good

Fair

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Flame

Retardancy

Excellent

Poor

Good

Excellent

Poor

Excellent

Water

Resistance

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Good

Acid

Resistance

Excellent

Fair

Excellent

Good

Fair

Good

Excellent

Alkali

Resistance

Excellent

Fair

Excellent

Good

Fair

Good

Excellent

Aliphatic

Hydro.

Resistance

Excellent

Poor

Fair

Good

Poor

Good

Poor

Fair

Excellent

Poor

Aromatic

Hydro.

Resistance

Excellent

Poor

Fair

Poor

Fair

Excellent

Poor

Specific

Gravity

D-792-66

1.70-1.86

1.3-1.7

1.35-1.7

1.23-1.65

1.1-1.6

1.3

1.16-1.70

0.91-1.26

0.890-0.905

2.13-2.20

2.12-2.17

1.75-1.78

1.16-1.20

Tensile

Strength

(psi)

D-638-77

6500

1500-4000

1200-2200

1200-2700

1000

>3500

1500-4500

1500-2200

2900-4500

1000-3500

2700-3100

5200-7500

2300

Elongation

(%)

D-412-75

200

300-700

300-600

300-700

100-500

540-750

40-400

180-1\600

700

275

250-330

500

Volume

Resistivity

(ohm-cm)

D-257-78

>1016

1013-1016

1012-1014

1011-1013

~1014

~1015

104-1016

>1015

~1015

>1018

2x1018

2x1014

2.2x1018

Dielectric

Strength

(V/mil)

D-149-75

500

600

100-700

330-630

250-500

230-1420

450-850

500

500-600

260

625

Dielectric

Constant

@1 kHz

D-150-78

2.6

2.3-3.0

9.0-11.0

5.0-7.0

3.0-3.5

5.6-7.6

3.0-8.0

2.27-2.50

2.50-2.65

2.0-2.1

2.1

7.9

2.8

Power Factor

(Dissipation)

@ 1 kHz

D-150-78

0.0006

0.00023-0.00030

0.05-0.07

3.5

0.001-0.010

0.043-0.060

0.009-0.16

0.00048-0/00049

0.0036-0.0050

0.0001

0.0007

0.019

0.002

1: Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene by DuPont.

2: Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene by DuPont.

3: Polyvinyl Chloride.

4: Tetrafluorethylene is the original Teflon resin invented by DuPont in 1938.

5: Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene is a ""Teflon"" fluorocarbon resin and is a registered T.M. of the DuPont Company.

6: Polyvinylidene Fluoride.

7: Thermoplastic Elastomer. Data obtained from Alpha Wire Company printed catalog table

Here is a great resource from the Anixter for insulation definitions