Teknor Apex will introduce two PVC elastomer compounds for jacketing of industrial and heavy-duty cables that exhibit flexibility even at very low temperatures at the Interwire 2013 to be held on 23 to 25 April in Atlanta, Georgia.

Flexalloy 9611-76 and 9612-75 feature profiles that compare well with those of the rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and other high-performance thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) used in these cables, yet they are more cost-effective, according to Mike Patel, Industry Manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex.

The compounds exhibit brittle points of -60 degrees C or lower and provide the oil resistance, flame retardance, and wide range of operating temperatures required in such applications as control and instrumentation cables (Type CIC), tray cables (TC), and specialty power cords like those for charging electric vehicles. Typical Types CIC and TC uses are in the petrochemical, pulp and paper, steel, cement, and mining industries. “Cables for these applications are often large and can be difficult to handle—especially at low temperatures—if the jacket materials lack sufficient flexibility,” said Patel.

“The extremely low brittleness temperatures of our new Flexalloy compounds enable them to comply with stringent cold-weather requirements such as that specified by the CSA’s -40 degrees C cable impact test,” he added.