| Borealis A/S, Denmark, a leading supplier of high-density polyethylene-based jacketing compound for the wire and cable industry, offers Borstar� HE 6081, a grade that has been specially designed for ADSS (All Dielectric Self-Supporting) cable applications. This compound delivers excellent track resistance, outperforming the tracking properties of traditional compounds.
Offering mechanical toughness and resistance to weathering, UV radiation and ESCR, Borstar HE 6081 can withstand severe installation and in-service conditions, even at elevated temperatures, making it ideal for the jacketing of fibre optic cables installed in high-voltage overhead power transmission lines. ADSS optical fibre cable is an increasingly popular cable technology particularly for existing power transmission routes as they are proven, cost-effective and provide for high-fibre counts. However, a key challenge to the wire and cable industry has been to develop ADSS cables capable of withstanding the high-electrical fields in the overhead power line environment. A key determinant in cable lasting the required lifetime of a system is the ability of its jacketing to resist the effects of high-electrical fields, especially the degrading activity of random arching on the cable surface. Conventionally, LDPE has been the material of choice for these applications, but is increasingly being replaced by LLDPE, MDPE and HDPE for ADSS installations in harsher environments because of their higher mechanical and physical properties. HDPE-based Borstar HE 6081 represents the next-step in material enhancement to meet these challenges.
The outstanding performance of Borstar HE 6081 in ADSS jacketing is made possible by Borealis� proprietary Borstar polymerisation technology. This allows for a tailor-made, bimodal MWD, so the material�s ESCR properties can be maintained even with the high filler and additive levels needed to achieve excellent resistance to tracking. Moreover, the material�s superior characteristics are complemented by the best features of traditional jacketing compounds, such as ease-of-processability and low shrinkage.
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