What Does XLPE Cable Stand For?

XLPE cable stands for Cross-linked Polyethylene cable. This is a process which bonds the molecules in long strands of material together to produce a ladder-type product called XLPE wire insulation or tubing. Upon completion of the process, there’s no slippage between the molecules. This means that even XLPE unarmoured cable won’t soften when exposed to high heat. The cross-linking or vulcanization process makes unarmoured and XLPE armoured cable heat resistant.

Cross-linking XLPE cable means that the molecular structures of the cable change. With cross-linking, the rearranged molecules form the structure of a lattice, which prevents (or resists) movement of those molecules when high amounts of heat flow through the PVC XLPE cable.

The XLPE cable manufacturer may do this either by a physical or a chemical process. In the former, the desired XLPE cable specification is produced by exposing the cable to high energy, such as microwave radiation or bursts of electrons of high-energy. The XLPE cable manufacturer uses a chemical process for producing XLPE electrical cable by adding peroxide, saline or other chemicals to form the cross-linking.