Development and characterization of new XLPE compounds for high performance cables in the automotive industry

The materials employed in the electrical insulation of cables/wires used in the automotive industry are exposed to several external factors that may affect the overall performance of the system. These factors include mechanical vibrations, high temperature, humidity, wind and rain. In order to have a stable and trustworthy solution, these materials need to follow specific criteria in what regards their abrasion, thermal and chemical resistance, flame retardancy, and mechanical properties. In this work, new crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) compounds were developed by means of compound extrusion, using peroxide crosslinking, and also different polymeric matrices. Ultimately, blends of ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) with alumina trihydrate (ATH) and magnesium hydroxide (MH), exhibited a significant increase in both the oxidation-induction time – higher than 95 min (OIT), and abrasion resistance (sandpaper abrasion) – approximately 38.1 g, while maintaining a low density profile and fair mechanical properties, when compared with the selected standard material, based on a ATH-additivated EVA material. These findings show that such material can be considered as a promising and suitable candidate for high performance cables.