PE, polyethylene
All polyethylenes have excellent dielectrics - high dielectric strength, low dielectric constant, and low dissipation factor at all frequencies.
This makes PE is used across a range of different cable types including telephone and high-speed transmission, high-frequency signal and control cable, low, medium and high voltage power cables, overhead line wire and service drop cables. PE naturally has poor fire resistance it can be significantly improved by the addition of fillers – either halogenated types or halogen-free types. PE can also be compounded to include additives that enhance other properties such as resistance to sunlight, weathering and chemical degradation. PE is a hard and abrasion-resistant material which makes it useful as a sheathing material in various applications but where a more flexible material has required the addition of the small amount of butyl or ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) can improve flexibility. The toughness of the PE also makes it suitable for direct burial in the ground.
The temperature range is typical -65°C to +75°C but cross-linking the polyethylene can extend this temperature range to +90°C.