SABIC Innovative Plastics' flame-retardant (FR) Flexible Noryl* resin has achieved a major milestone as one of the first non-halogenated materials to be used in AC power cords meeting stringent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 62 TPE 90C and 105C safety standards. Available in three specialized grades for different AC power cord configurations, the new material provides outstanding FR performance that meets global environmental regulations and delivers excellent flexibility with a high-quality surface finish. SABIC Innovative Plastics' Flexible Noryl resin is a premier product technology developed to help wire and cable customers achieve their environmental sustainability goals, differentiate their products, and create reliable, high-performance power cord solutions.
"Global demand for environmental stewardship is especially strong in the electrical and electronics industry where global OEMs are pushing AC power cord manufacturers to deliver top-performing products that are highly efficient, cost effective, safe and compliant with increasingly tough requirements for PVC, phthalate, and halogen-free cable systems," said Cathleen Hess, Noryl resin product marketing director, SABIC Innovative Plastics. "We focused our world-class technological expertise on developing our Flexible Noryl resin grades that can meet these requirements and deliver the insulation and jacketing performance our customers need to stay ahead of regulatory changes and remove barriers to worldwide growth."
Supporting Flexible Noryl resin cable's UL 62 TPE 90C and 105C certification, Flexible Noryl resin has been successfully proven in the Japanese market in AC power cords meeting Den-An-Ho legal requirements. SABIC Innovative Plastics is currently working with customers to achieve certification under the European Union's VDE HD 21.14 standard.
Customer Successes with Flexible Noryl Resin
I-Sheng, a Taiwan wire and cable manufacturer, recently applied for the UL 62 90C and 105C certificates for several types of AC power cords. Mr. Bob Wang, executive vice president for I-Sheng, said, "We have been successfully using Flexible Noryl resins for AC power cords in Japan for some time. Based on our excellent experience with these materials, we expect great results from the United States as well. These high-performance materials give us a strong competitive advantage across multiple market segments to help our clients achieve their manufacturing and environmental sustainability goals."
Foxconn, also based in Taiwan, is a major supplier to the computer, communication and consumer (3C) electronics industries. "Foxconn is a longstanding user of Flexible Noryl resin for USB cable and hook up wiring, and we've been impressed by its robust, non-halogen FR performance," said Mr. Caesar Chen, senior vice president of Foxconn Group. "We are very pleased that Flexible Noryl resin meets all of our AC power cord requirements so we can give our customers the support they need to create high-end products that also address environmental concerns. It is a major win for everyone involved."
Three Specialty Materials for AC Power Cords
The three Flexible Noryl resin grades are designed to meet the specific requirements of different AC power cord configurations:
- With a 79 Shore A hardness, this grade is engineered for jacketing of NISPE, SVE and SJE cords. It offers excellent resistance to heat deformation and tensile elongation. To ensure a high-quality jacket surface, the material does not migrate.
- With a Shore A hardness of 85, this grade is designed for SPE power cord jacketing. It also offers non-migration and outstanding mechanical and heat performance.
- For AC power cord insulation, this grade has a Shore A hardness of 91. It is suitable for all configurations, and offers the same performance benefits as the other two grades.
For additional information on SABIC Innovative Plastics' Flexible Noryl resin, please go to www.sabic-ip.com.