MATERIALS | WIRE & CABLE
Right: Borcycle ME7153SY MDPE com- pound is the first cable jacketing
solution based on Borealis’ Borcycle M portfolio which contains 50% post-consumer recyclate
where grids will play a key role in our efforts to address climate change,” said Bart Verheule, Borealis Global Marketing Director Energy. “Borealis is contributing to this shift by devel- oping high-performance compounds for the energy sector that make wire and cable applications, photovoltaics, and capacitor films, more sustainable and cost effective.” Additives producer Huber Advanced Materials
says that as customers demand eco-friendly products, there has been a growing emphasis on reducing the environmental footprint in the entire manufacturing processes. Additionally, with the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and renew- able energy systems, the demand for high-quality cables delivering safe operating conditions has surged. In response to these trends, Huber has introduced a range of products including a compre- hensive range of flame-retardant additives tailored to meet the diverse needs of wire and cable applications. The portfolio includes high-purity alumina trihydrate (ATH), which comes in varying particle sizes and surface areas, along with standard, off the shelf, and customisable surface treatments
Below: Orion conductive additives boost polymer
performance in wire and cable, injection moulding and other applications
Sustainable trend In a recent announcement, the company reported it has completed cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) for more than 90% of its product portfolio, including its aluminium hydroxides, calcined aluminas, activated aluminas, and Vertex magne- sium hydroxides. Examples of recent and ongoing sustainability projects include an investment into a modern natural gas-fired cogeneration plant at its site in Martinswerk, Germany, scheduled for start-up early 2025, and a solar array at its site in Marblehead, Illinois, US. At NPE in Orlando, Florida, in May, Orion is set
to introduce two new sustainable specialty carbon black grades suitable for wire-and-cable applica- tions. Produced from end-of-life tyre pyrolysis oil,
the company says tests show they have the same conductivity properties, high-purity level, jetness, and tinting strength as regular specialty carbon blacks. Compliant with European and international food contact standards, they are also suitable for piping, film, fibre, packaging, and automotive applications.
Orion said the new Printex kappa 100 BEADS
feature exceptionally high cleanliness, purity, and conductivity in high-voltage (HV) electric transmis- sion cables, while Printex kappa 100 acetylene conductive additive offers excellent dispersibility, extremely high cleanliness, and low sulphur impurities. “It imparts best-in-class high conductiv- ity and excellent surface smoothness to conductor and insulation shields, making it ideal for use in HV cables,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing man- ager, Polymers and Batteries. Outside of the new additions, Orion offers a
comprehensive portfolio of high-performance conductive additives. Marketed under the Printex, Hiblack, and Arosperse brand names, the grades impart target conductivity to minimise dielectric stress between the conductor and cable insulation, improving cable service life by increasing conduc- tivity characteristics and providing UV protection. In addition, they boost performance by modifying rheology and readily disperse in polymers, showing very low levels of ionic contamination. To promote supply chain resilience and increase acetylene black availability, Orion is building what it says is the only plant in the US that will produce acetylene-based conductive additives. The facility in La Porte, Texas, is expected to begin operation during the first half of 2025. “Our new plant will provide the North American
wire-and-cable industry a consistent, domestically produced and available supply of acetylene-based conductive additives,” said Jennifer Stroh, Orion’s Director of Specialties Sales and Marketing, Americas. “We look forward to delivering custom solutions for all wire-and-cable applications, and in particular applying the attributes of Printex kappa 100 BEADS to the stringent requirements of high-voltage applications.”
52 COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2024
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www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: BOREALIS
IMAGE: ORION
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