Flexible resin answers cable legislation demands

A Sabic Innovative Plastics product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 7, 2006

To produce coatings for AV cable used in flat-screen televisions, LTK Industries needed a replacement for PVC that could meet the requirements for halogen-free parts.

Hong Kong-based LTK Industries, one of the most successful wire and cable manufacturers in China, has played a pivotal role in transforming Hong Kong and China from net importers of wire and cable into major suppliers and exporters.

A strong supporter of environmental responsibility, LTK was the first wire and cable company in the world to be awarded Restricted Substance Compliance Solutions (RSCS) approval from UL, indicating its products meet the requirements of the European Union's Restriction in the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical/electronic equipment.

Halogens have been shown to pose a risk of environmental contamination from emissions given off during product manufacturing or disposal.

The EU has changed its environmental regulations for the plastics industry, and will phase out all halogenated flame retardants (FR) and other toxic heavy metals used in plastics, effective 1st July 2006.

In view of this trend away from the use of halogenated FRs, wire and cable manufacturers are seeking new wiring materials that meet requirements for halogen free parts - while delivering high-performance properties.

For example, while polyvinylchloride (PVC) has been widely used for wire and cable coatings for many years, it may release toxins such as dioxin when burned.

To produce coatings for AV cable used in flat-screen televisions, LTK Industries needed a replacement for PVC that could meet the requirements for halogen-free parts while delivering superior properties, including excellent temperature and flammability performance.

But even more important, the company sought suppliers that share its commitment to protecting the environment.

"At LTK, we take pride in leading our industry with proactive support for the environment", said Thomas Chaung, Director of Sales and Marketing.

"In our search for a new coating material, we were impressed with GE's ecomagination initiative, which aligns with our philosophy".

"GE helped us replace PVC with a new resin that meets our needs in all respects".

After LTK made the decision to work with GE on the AV cable coating project, GE technologists helped the manufacturer select new Flexible Noryl modified PPE resin, a product that is part of the GE ecomagination initiative.

LTK and GE worked closely together to identify the right grade of Flexible Noryl resin for the specific needs of LTK's end customer.

In addition to VW-1 flame retardance that meets the requirements for halogen-free parts, these specifications included flexibility to maintain the cable's integrity and appearance and good electrical and mechanical properties.

GE's Flexible Noryl resin delivered on all the flat-screen TV manufacturer's requirements.

The resin has achieved the UL 80dc rating for VW-1 flame retardance, provides Shore-A hardness of 80 to 89, and can be customised for different levels of flexibility.

It also provides excellent chemical resistance and lower specific gravity (1.03-1.10) than PVC.

For wire and cable manufacturers, Flexible Noryl resin offers easy processing and faster throughput, and does not require secondary processing.

"Our Flexible Noryl resins are a perfect example of GE's ecomagination initiative", said Hiroshi Yoshida, Marketing Director, Noryl Resins, GE Plastics, Pacific.

"They offer customers like LTK an entire spectrum of advantages over traditional flame-retardant coating materials - not just environmental advantages, but also significant performance enhancements".

For LTK, finding a better alternative to PVC-based coatings means a competitive edge in the wire and cable market.

"It's clear that materials are coming under greater scrutiny for compliance with environmental protection efforts", said Chaung.

"The support that we received from GE not only led to a solution for this AV cable application, but also gives us better choices to offer other wire and cable products such as USB cable and hook-up wires".

Equally important, the use of Flexible Noryl resin supports LTK's commitment to environmental protection and its reputation for leadership in this arena.

In addition to its compliance with upcoming EU standards, Flexible Noryl resin meets global standards for recyclablility compared with other insulating materials such as cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE).