SABIC has announced it will introduce three new families of non-fluorinated SILTEM resin blends at the 2025 IWCS Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum. The event is scheduled to take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from October 27 to 30.
The company states that these new materials are designed as alternatives to traditional fluoropolymers such as ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) commonly used in wire and cable applications for automotive, industrial, and oil and gas sectors. The development responds to increasing regulatory restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which include many widely used fluoropolymers.
According to SABIC, the new SILTEM resin blends are formulated without fluorine and leverage the properties of SILTEM polyetherimide/siloxane copolymer resin. These blends offer easier processing along with improved thermal and chemical resistance. Potential uses extend beyond wire and cable applications; they may also be suitable for strain reliefs, data cables, heat tracing cables, automotive under-hood wiring, seals, gaskets, and heat-shrink tubes that require “shape memory” through crosslinking. Samples of the material are currently available.
Sean Culligan, senior manager for ULTEM and NORYL Resins at SABIC, will present a session titled “Polyetherimide (PEI)-Siloxane Copolymers as an Alternative to Fluoropolymers” during Session 9 of the Technical Symposium on October 30.
“Many wire & cable customers are looking for alternatives to fluoropolymers that address regulatory concerns and strict performance requirements,” said Sergi Monros, vice president of SABIC Polymers, Specialties BU. “Our new SILTEM resin blends address growing demands for materials that avoid fluorine while raising the bar on performance and processing.”
