New Repsol range for cable insulation
As a result of the time and effort dedicated by Repsol’s scientists and researchers at Repsol’s Technology Centre to develop this technique, the company now has a new facility at its Puertollano petrochemical complex for the production of silane crosslinkable polyethylene grades.
These compounds are produced by grafting silane into the molecular structure of low density polyethylene (LDPE) manufactured by Repsol. Subsequently, this compound can be extruded and crosslinked during the wire coating process (creating multiple netlike intermolecular bonds), that offer extraordinary electrical insulation performance and great resistance to high temperature and abrasion.
The new Repsol GridEffect range has a competitive advantage over the currently available grades, for its high quality and consistency, making it a suitable base raw material in the development of special formulations for flame retardant or oil resistant cables, among others. In addition, the new Repsol Grid Effect PSIL210 grade, the first of this range to be marketed, stands out because its molecular structure has been specially developed to enable crosslinking at room temperature. This ability, offers the cable manufacturer the possibility to obtain energy savings in addition to considerably simplifying the process.
The resulting knowledge gained during the years researching this technology, has provided Repsol with the capacity to develop a whole new range of grades for different cable applications, some of which are already included in the company portfolio and will be launched soon.
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