Fluoropolymer Foam Resin
Today DuPont is pioneering innovations in the foaming of fluoropolymer resins in order to support the development of advanced TIA/EIA Category 6 and 10 gigabit (10G-BASE-T) communications cables, coaxial cables, and other cables where high data transmission ratios are required.
Foaming fluoropolymer resin insulation reduces its dielectric constant, providing opportunities for miniaturization and weight savings because lower insulation wall thickness can be used. In addition, because this reduces dissipation factor the resulting insulated wire has lower capacitance and attenuation. Foamed insulation also increases the relative velocity of data transmission over insulated wire.
Resin and processing requirements are highly dependent on construction. For thicker wall constructions (i.e., coaxial RG cable) a resin with a lower melt flow rate (MFR) is used with higher void content using lower draw down tooling. For thinner wall constructions (i.e., Category 6 and 10G-BASE-T cables) a higher MFR resins is used at a lower void content using higher draw down tooling.
Return Loss measures the amount of signal that is lost due to reflections along the length of the cable. Successful use of our foamed and fluoropolymer resins generates good adhesion of insulation to the copper conductor which in turn leads to improved return loss.
