Rubber for wire & cable
Insulation and high-performance mechanical properties for cables
We supply a wide range of minerals to enhance the insulation and mechanical properties of low- to high-voltage cables, semi-conductive cables and industrial cable sheathing.
Low and medium voltage cable insulation
Calcined kaolin is an excellent choice for low to medium voltage cables made from EPR, EPDM and EVA.
Calcined kaolin provides:
- Excellent insulation properties
- Low moisture absorption
- Very smooth surface finish
- Excellent dimensional control due to low die swell
- Very low permanent deformation – insulation layers maintain original thickness during cable production
We recommend:
Medium to high voltage cable insulation
Calcined clay
In medium- to high-voltage cables, made from EPR, EPDM, EVA, calcined clay provides:
- Excellent insulation properties
- Very smooth surface finish
- Excellent dimensional control due to low die swell
We recommend our Polarite™ range of silane-treated calcined clay range for good dielectric properties, moisture resistance and excellent insulating properties in medium to high voltage cables.
Conductive carbon black
Conductive carbon blacks are ideally suited to semi-conductive compounds for medium and high voltage semi-conductive shielding, conductive jacketing and cable accessories.
Our Ensaco® carbon blacks are high purity, easily dispersible, low moisture pick-up specialty conductive and extra-conductive carbon blacks that provide electrical conductivity at low loadings.
Rubber cable sheathing
Many Elastomers are used for this application, the most important being PVC-Nitrile, EPR, Butyl, Polychloroprene, CPE, EVA and CSM.
We offer a wide variety of fillers to provide the chemical physical properties required by this application in particular:
- Kaolin and calcined kaolin, talc*, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate.
- Fine sedimentary clays with modified basic pH are often used when a peroxide curing system is employed.
Tunneling & mining
Sedimentary clays such as our Suprex™ and Hexafil™ ranges are ideal for improving abrasion and tear resistance in the heavy-duty mining cable jacket compounds.
Submerged cables
Cables designed for permanent immersion need cable sheathing with very low moisture uptake. We recommend our Polarite range for improving moisture uptake in submerged cables.
Flexible cables
Flexible cables are submitted to a high number of bends and twists and need excellent compression set properties. We recommend our Polestar™ range for this application.
Halogen-free flame retardant signal cables
Halogen free flame retardant cables require superior flame retardancy (FR), abrasion and oil resistance, whilst still having good electrical properties. We recommend combining high-brightness talc or kaolin in conjunction with Alumina Trihydrate (ATH) or Magnesium Hydroxide (MDH) for this application.
Meet new CPD directives with Imerys minerals
Using our minerals in rubber compounds for cable sheath and conductor insulation is the most cost-effective way of meeting 2016 Euroclass legislation under the EU’s Construction Product Regulation (CPR).
*Talc products are not available in the USA and Canada. Contact us for an alternative range.
Related minerals
Carbon black
Carbon black is an extremely versatile substance which is making an increasingly valuable contribution to the automotive industry. Imerys is the leading supplier of highly conductive carbon-based solutions for conductive carbon black used in lithium-ion batteries powering electric vehicles and consumer electronics. It is also a valuable ingredient in polymer compounds used in electronic devices and the automotive industry.
Kaolin
Kaolin is a rock from which the clay mineral kaolinite is derived. This one has been used for millennia as the principal ingredient in porcelain tableware. Today Imerys kaolins bring critical properties to a host of end applications ranging from paper to paints, fiberglass to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
