KYNAR Insulation Applications
Polyvinylidene (PVDF) or KYNAR is a thermoplastic fluoropolymer that is often used as insulation jacketing for wire and cable that provides a variety of benefits. It can be used across multiple industries.
Some of the more common settings include:
- Medical
- Defense
- Chemical
- Semiconductor
Other uses include lithium-ion batteries and in aviation and aerospace applications as a cross-linked closed cell foam. Primarily, it is used in the form of pipe, sheet, tube, plate, and insulation for wire products.
KYNAR wire insulation, when used as a jacketing material for cables, is ideally suited for applications that require flexibility, strength, and low density. It boasts abilities that allow it to bend with durability throughout heavy use. Specifically, it is extremely beneficial in applications that require chemical resistance, as it is capable of withstanding intense substances such as chlorine and hydrogen gasses. KYNAR-insulated cable and wire also provide resistance to high temperatures, flames, and low smoke generation.
The first success seen in commercial use of the KYNAR jacketing was in New York City Local Law 5 fire alarm cable. This is because of its fire resistance properties. No surprise, it worked great. This type of fluoropolymer insulation has also been adopted for a myriad of other applications, including fiber optic cables, tubes, and buffers, cross-linked MIL-spec wire, as well as spacers in cables used for data communications. KYNAR wire and cable can be directly installed in underwater environments of all kinds, including fresh, brackish, and salt water.
Performance Wire and Cable offers cathodic protection cable, manufactured with KYNAR, or fluoropolymer insulation. It consists of a layer of the insulation on the conductor, which is then followed by a layer of HMWPE (high molecular weight polyethylene) insulation. The KYNAR insulation is resistant to contact with acidic substances and chemicals, such as chlorine, sulfuric acid, as well as hydrochloric acid, while the HMWPE alone is not. This combination makes it that much more strong and flexible in a vast amount of applications.