Abstract

 

　　Silicone rubber band,including ordinary self-fusing silicone tape and ceramifiable silicone rubber composite band,is an indispensable functional material in wire and cable manufacturing and on-site installation.Benefiting from excellent electrical insulation,wide temperature tolerance,weather resistance and special fire-resistant ceramic-forming property,it is widely used in cable core wrapping,fire-resistant layer construction,joint sealing,harness binding and mechanical protection.This paper introduces the material characteristics of silicone rubber band,its main application forms in cables,technical advantages and typical application scenarios,and prospects its development trend in new energy,fire protection and high-end power cable fields.

 

　　1.Introduction

 

　　With the rapid development of power transmission,new energy,rail transit and industrial automation,cables are facing more complex operating environments:high temperature,low temperature,ultraviolet radiation,salt spray,chemical corrosion,vibration and fire risks.Traditional organic tapes such as PVC and polyester have obvious limitations under extreme conditions.Silicone rubber band,made of silicone rubber as the base material,can maintain stable elasticity and insulation performance in a wide temperature range.Especially ceramifiable silicone rubber band can be converted into a dense ceramic shell under flame attack,which greatly improves the fire safety of cables.At present,silicone rubber band has become a key auxiliary material for high-temperature cables,fire-resistant cables,new energy vehicle harnesses and cable accessory construction.

 

　　2.Core Material Properties of Silicone Rubber Band

 

　　1.Wide temperature adaptability:It can work stably from-60℃to 200℃continuously.It will not harden and crack at low temperature,nor soften and lose elasticity under long-term high-temperature exposure,which is suitable for high-temperature equipment wiring and outdoor cold-region cables.

 

　　2.Excellent electrical insulation:High dielectric strength and stable insulation resistance.Its electrical performance will not decline sharply under humid and high-temperature conditions,effectively preventing short circuit and leakage risks.

 

　　3.Weathering and corrosion resistance:Resistant to ozone,UV aging,acid,alkali and salt spray corrosion.It can maintain stable performance for a long time in coastal,chemical plant and outdoor exposed environments,avoiding premature aging of cable wrapping materialsMade-in-Ch....

 

　　4.Fire safety performance(ceramifiable type):Under high temperature above 600℃,the material will rapidly sinter into a hard,compact ceramic protective shell.The ceramic shell can isolate flame,prevent molten drop and maintain electrical continuity for a certain period,achieving fire-resistant and circuit-maintaining function.It is halogen-free and releases low-smoke non-toxic gas during combustion,meeting environmental protection requirements.

 

　　5.Good flexibility and construction performance:The silicone rubber band is soft and conformable.Self-fusing silicone band can be tightly wound on irregular cable surfaces without adhesive.It is convenient for manual construction of cable joints and terminals.

 

　　3.Main Applications in Cables

 

　　3.1 Fire-resistant wrapping layer for fire-proof cables

 

　　Ceramifiable silicone rubber composite band is used to wrap cable conductors,replacing part of traditional mica tape.During cable production,it is helically wrapped around the insulated core as a fire-resistant barrier.In case of fire,the band forms a ceramic shell to wrap the conductor,resisting flame impact and mechanical vibration caused by combustion,so that the cable can keep power supply for a specified time,which is widely used in fire-fighting power supply,emergency lighting and important communication cables.

 

　　Compared with mica tape,silicone rubber band has better flexibility,higher mechanical strength,less breakage during cabling,and stable fire resistance under bending and vibration conditions.

 

　　3.2 Insulation and sealing of cable joints and terminals

 

　　Self-fusing silicone rubber band is the mainstream material for on-site insulation repair and sealing of cable joints.When cable insulation is damaged or making intermediate joints and terminal heads,workers wrap multiple layers of silicone rubber band tightly on the processed cable part.After fusion,it forms an integrated insulating sealing body,blocking moisture,dust and corrosive gas from invading the cable inner structure.It is commonly used for medium and low voltage power cables,control cables and outdoor cable terminal protection.

 

　　3.3 Harness bundling and fixing

 

　　Ordinary elastic silicone rubber band is used for bundling and sorting multi-core cable harnesses in new energy vehicles,electrical cabinets and equipment internal wiring.Different from natural rubber bands,silicone band resists heat and aging,will not stick and break after long-term use,and will not leave adhesive residue on the cable sheath.It can restrain cable strands,reduce vibration friction between wires and avoid wear of cable outer skin during equipment operation.

 

　　3.4 Mechanical protection and stress buffering

 

　　At the bend of cables,through metal holes and positions subject to friction and extrusion,silicone rubber band can be wrapped as a buffer protection layer.It disperses bending stress,prevents the cable sheath from being scratched by sharp metal edges,reduces fatigue damage caused by repeated bending and vibration,and prolongs the service life of moving cables such as robot drag chain cables.

 

　　3.5 Anti-pollution and corrosion protection for bus and cable accessories

 

　　In power stations and switchgears,silicone rubber band can be wrapped on busbars and cable terminals to resist bird droppings,salt fog and chemical gas erosion,reduce the probability of flashover and corrosion failure of electrical components,and improve the operation reliability of power equipment in heavily polluted areas.

 

　　4.Advantages Compared with Traditional Cable Wrapping Materials

 

　　1.Stable performance under extreme temperature:PVC tape and cloth tape will lose performance at high or low temperature,while silicone rubber band maintains elasticity and insulation in wide temperature range.

 

　　2.Superior fire-resistant option:Ceramifiable silicone band forms rigid ceramic shell after burning,overcoming the disadvantage that mica tape is easy to fall off when subjected to impact.

 

　　3.Long service life:Excellent anti-aging property,suitable for long-term outdoor and high-temperature working environment,reducing maintenance frequency.

 

　　4.Easy construction:Self-fusing type does not need extra glue,good conformability for irregular cable shapes,convenient for field emergency repair.

 

　　5.Typical Application Industries

 

　　-Power engineering:Fire-resistant power cables,cable terminal&joint accessories,busbar protection for power plants and substations.

 

　　-New energy:New energy vehicle high-voltage harness,energy storage cabinet wiring,photovoltaic cable protection.

 

　　-Industrial equipment:High-temperature furnace wires,motor lead wires,robot drag chain cables.

 

　　-Construction&transportation:Fire emergency cables for high-rise buildings,subway and tunnel cables,marine cables.

 

　　6.Challenges and Development Trend

 

　　At present,the main challenge of silicone rubber band is the relatively high raw material cost compared with conventional wrapping materials.In the future,the industry will develop low-cost,high-strength ceramifiable silicone composite materials,optimize the thin-thickness wrapping formula to reduce material consumption.Meanwhile,with the rapid growth of new energy and fire safety requirements,silicone rubber band will develop towards integrated functions:fire resistance+insulation+waterproof+low smoke,and become the preferred material for high-performance safety cables.

 

　　7.Conclusion

 

　　Silicone rubber band has realized multiple functions in cable system including fire resistance,insulation,sealing,bundling and mechanical protection by virtue of unique high and low temperature resistance,electrical property and ceramifiable characteristic.As the requirement for cable safety and reliability continuously improves,silicone rubber band will play an increasingly important role in power transmission,new energy and special engineering cable fields,and is an important functional material supporting the upgrade of high-performance wire and cable.