A Comprehensive Guide to Cable jacket Materials: Types, Features, and Applications

The cable jacket is essential to any cable, providing physical protection and directly affecting performance and service life in specific environments. Choosing the right jacket material can significantly improve the effectiveness of your cable. Below is a detailed guide to standard cable jacketing materials, their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and ideal applications.

Common types of cable jacketing materials

1. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

• Features:
  • Cost-effective and wear-resistant.
  • Waterproof, oil and chemical resistant.
  • Flexible and easy to process.
• OpTemperatureperature: -15°C to 70°C.
• Advantages:
  • Affordable and versatile for various uses.
  • Excellent flame retardant properties ensure safety.
• Disadvantages:
  • Poor heat resistance; becomes brittle in cold conditions.
  • Poor environmental friendliness; releases toxic gases when burning.
• Applications:
  • Indoor wiring, household cables.

2. Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE)

• Features:
  • Excellent electrical insulation, heat resistance and mechanical strength.
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to 90°C
• Advantages:
  • It has better thermal and electrical properties, higher mechanical strength and better resistance to environmental stresses than standard polyethene.
• Disadvantages:
  • Poor flame resistance.
• Applications:
  • Power cables, medium and high voltage applications, outdoor and industrial environments.

3. Polyurethane (PU)

• Features:
  • High elasticity and excellent abrasion resistance.
  • Resistant to oils and chemicals.
• OpTemperatureperature: -50°C to 105°C.
• Advantages:
  • High elasticity and tear resistance.
  • It performs well at low and high temperatures.
• Disadvantages:
  • Relatively high cost.
• Applications:
  • Industrial robotic cables and equipment that require frequent bending.

4. Rubber

• Features:
  • Excellent elasticity and weather resistance.
  • Resistant to abrasion, oil, and chemicals.
• OpTemperatureperature: -40°C to 100°C.
• Advantages:
  • High durability and flexibility even at low temperatures.
  • Provides good insulation and mechanical protection.
• Disadvantages:
  • Moderate flame resistance.
  • It can degrade with prolonged UV exposure.
• Applications:
  • Heavy-duty industrial cables, outdoor applications and mining equipment.

5. Silicone

• Features:
  • High temperature resistant and environmentally friendly.
  • Excellent electrical insulation and weather resistance.
• OpTemperatureperature: -60°C to 200°C.
• Advantages:
  • Stable performance in both extremely hot and cold environments.
  • Non-toxic, odourless, and eco-friendly.
• Disadvantages:
  • Average abrasion resistance; not suitable for use in harsh conditions.
  • Higher cost.
• Applications:
  • Industrial cables, automotive wiring, cable harnesses.

6. Nylon

• Features:
  • High abrasion resistance, lightweight, excellent strength-to-weight ratio.
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to 120°C
• Advantages:
  • It provides excellent mechanical protection and is resistant to wear and tear.
• Disadvantages:
  • Limited chemical resistance can absorb moisture.
• Applications:
  • Specialty industrial cables, military and aerospace applications.

7. Fluoroplastics aka Teflon (e.g., PTFE)

• Features:
  • Excellent high-temperature resistance up to 260°C.
  • Chemically inert with excellent corrosion resistance.
• OpTemperatureperature: -70°C to 260°C.
• Advantages:
  • UV-resistant, long service life.
  • Excellent electrical properties, suitable for high-frequency applications.
• Disadvantages:
  • Difficult to process and expensive.
• Applications:
  • Specialty industrial cables, military and aerospace applications.

Quick Comparison of Cable Jacket Materials

How to choose the right cable jacketing material

When choosing a cable jacketing material, the following factors should be considered:

• Budget conscious? PVC offers excellent value for standard applications.
• Extreme environments? Silicone and fluoroplastics excel in harsh conditions.
• Industrial or highly flexible applications? Polyurethanes or rubbers provide excellent durability.
• Highly abrasive environments? Nylon ensures rugged protection.
• Outdoor and electrical needs? Xoffers insulation and durability.

Understanding the properties and applications of these sheathing materials can help you make informed decisions. For special requirements or additional guidance, please get in touch with our team of experts!

Sam Wu

Sam Wu is the Marketing Manager at Romtronic, holding a degree in Mechatronics. With 12 years of experience in sales within the electronic wiring harness industry, he manages marketing efforts across Europe. An expert in cable assembly, wiring harnesses, and advanced connectivity solutions, Sam simplifies complex technologies, offering clear, actionable advice to help you confidently navigate your electrical projects.