Share this
Cable Jacket Material Comparison and Insulation Guide
by Simcona on Jun 25, 2025 9:15:00 AM
With so many cable types available, choosing the right one isn’t always straightforward. Even after narrowing your needs down by function, you’re still left with dozens of material options for insulation and jacketing.
Depending on the environment, your project might need protection from corrosion, abrasion, moisture, or extreme temperatures. You also have to weigh cost and supplier availability on top of that.
A quick cable jacket material comparison before ordering helps set your industrial assembly up with the right type of protection.
Jacketing or Insulation? Understanding the Role of Each
Cable jacketing is the outer layer that protects all other components from moisture, chemical, and mechanical hazards. Jackets’ side jobs include adding flexibility for installation and color-coding for easy identification.
Cable insulation is the non-conductive covering attached to bare wires to separate conductors from each other, both physically and electrically. It not only protects against current leakage; it also offers a second layer to fight heat and moisture.
A cable’s insulation material type can influence the overall electrical properties of the cable. For example, an insulation’s thickness determines voltage rating, and its ability to withstand high temperatures means it can carry more current without failing.
Jacketing and insulation share many materials, most of them derivatives of rubber or plastic. However, not all insulation materials can be used for jacketing.
What to Look For in Cable Insulation & Jacketing Materials
There are three main branches of cable jacket and insulation material: thermoplastic, thermoset, and fluoropolymer. (We’ll discuss them further below.) Each has its own family of materials, and manufacturers offer product variations on each material.
It’s a lot to take in. Above all else, watch for these traits that may influence performance in your application.
- Flexibility – This helps with ease of installation in a rigid environment. It’s also important in dynamic applications (i.e. a robotic arm), as an inflexible cable would degrade quickly and limit nozzle movement. Rigid cables, however, may be more durable than flexible ones.
- Environmental durability – Many industrial cable applications require the ability to withstand some combination of moisture, chemicals, oil, fire, and UV light.
- Thermal properties – Cable materials have varying performance in both hot and cold. You don’t want your cabling to melt or become brittle in extreme conditions.
- Stripability – Some materials are easier than others to remove. Consider this trait if you might later need to terminate or slice a cable.
Thermoset Options for Cable Protection
Property |
Performance |
Affordability |
Medium |
Heat resistance |
High |
Cold resistance |
Medium-High to High |
Flexibility |
Medium-High to High |
Durability |
Low to High |
Stripability |
Low to High |
Thermoset materials consist of basic polymers that are cured or vulcanized to form a cross-linked structure. Once a thermoset has been cured, you can’t remold it, which makes it a more heat-resistant jacketing material in high-load and short-circuit situations.
This quality makes thermoset cables the popular choice for circuits prone to a conductor overload.
Other benefits include:
- Burns to an ash with no drip when exposed to flame
- Extra-resistant to damage during challenging installations
- Longer service life in harsh applications
- Oil- and chemical-resistant
Thermoset jacketing and insulation is common in:
- Heat treating
- Glass and ceramic kilns
- Foundries
- Aluminum processing
Common Thermoset Materials for Cable Protection
Neoprene (Polychloroprene) |
➕ Resists aging due to sunlight and water |
|
Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) |
➕ Excellent heat, abrasion, and corrosion resistance |
|
CPE – Thermoset Version |
➕ Excellent physical properties |
|
Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) |
➕ Resistant to a broad range of temperatures |
|
Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) |
➕ Better hot/cold resistance than neoprene (-55 to 85 °C) |
|
Silicone |
➕ Flame retardance meets NEC cable jacket ratings |
|
Fiberglass |
➕ Survives in temperatures up to 482 °C. |
|
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE) |
➕ Good chemical, abrasion, oil, and UV resistance |
|
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) |
➕ Low conductivity |
|
Thermoplastic Options for Cable Protection
Property |
Performance |
Affordability |
High |
Heat resistance |
Low to Medium-High |
Cold resistance |
Low to High |
Flexibility |
Low to Medium-High |
Durability |
Low to High |
Stripability |
Medium-High to High |
Thermoplastics is a branch that includes a few well-known options: PVC and polyurethane cable jackets.
A thermoplastic is a material that changes hardness during heating and cooling. In extreme-temperature applications, this could mean the cable becomes deformed, decreasing its physical properties.
On the plus side, these cheaper materials are often easier to strip, which makes large-volume application more efficient (i.e. for automation equipment).
Other benefits:
- More economical for low-intensity use
- Lightweight
- Great colorability for easy-to-ID cables in low lighting
- Better electrical properties
Thermoplastic jacketing and insulation is common in:
- Medical applications
- Food & beverage industry
- Military purposes
- Industrial power plants
- Interior spaces either beneath raised floors or above dropped ceilings
- Marine and low-temperature environments
- Power & control cable applications
- CPE cable insulation displays
Common Thermoplastic Materials for Cable Protection
PVC |
➕ Widely available |
|
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (PUR/TPU) |
➕ Halogen-free |
|
Polyethylene (PE) |
➕ High insulation resistance |
|
Thermoplastic Elastomer/Rubber (TPE/TPR, Santoprene) |
➕ Halogen-free |
|
Chlorinated Polyethylene (CEP) - Thermoplastic Version |
➕ Excellent moisture, UV, & oil resistance |
|
Fluoropolymer Options for Cable Protection
Property |
Performance |
Affordability |
Low |
Heat resistance |
High |
Cold resistance |
Medium-High |
Flexibility |
Medium-High |
Durability |
High |
Stripability |
Medium-High |
This family of plastic resins is known for its toughness. For example, fluoropolymer insulation boasts high resistance to acids, solvents, and bases that corrode cables.
Other benefits include:
- Miniaturized design with high dielectric strength, allowing for thinner walls
- Steady electrical performance, even with thin walls
- Difficult to crush or cut
Fluoropolymer jacketing and insulation is common in:
- Military
- Aerospace
- Electronics
- Automotive
- Appliances
- Automation
- Critical building construction
- Confined areas (i.e. tunnels, transit, & submarines)
Common Fluoropolymer Materials for Cable Protection
Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) |
+ Enhanced electrical efficiency due to low dissipation factor |
|
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) |
+ Exceptional resistance to chemicals, oil, and moisture |
|
Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) |
+ Excellent corrosion resistance |
|
Ethylene Chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE or Halar) |
+ Superior strength |
|
Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP, Variation of Teflon) |
+ Excellent electrical insulation properties |
|
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) |
+ Low cost |
|
Other Cable Jacketing and Insulation Options
Performance-minded engineers usually stick with thermoset cables in applications where failure isn’t an option. Some of the most extreme environments may require a unique fluoropolymer material.
That said, there are other, less-common materials under all three main branches. Basically, there’s a solution for any industrial application you could dream up.
Not every cable and wire manufacturer offers all of these materials. However, manufacturers who also offer distribution services can source the cable types they don’t make in-house.
Need Help Sourcing the Right Cable Materials?
Start with our free electronic component guide to make safe choices about jacketing, insulation, and sourcing.
This article was originally published in May 2023 and was recently updated to reflect current industry trends.
Share this
- Components (38)
- Cost (29)
- Distribution (21)
- Materials (21)
- Cables & Wires (19)
- Standards & Certifications (18)
- Supply Chain (18)
- UL (17)
- Control Panels (16)
- Safety (14)
- Design (13)
- Contract Manufacturing (11)
- Inventory Management (11)
- News (10)
- Jacketing & Insulation (9)
- Wiring (8)
- Availability (7)
- Design & Engineering (7)
- Obsolescence Management (7)
- Suppliers (7)
- Testing & Prototyping (7)
- Maintenance & Downtime (6)
- Temperature & Fire Resistance (6)
- Enclosures (5)
- Manufacturing (5)
- Circuit Protection (4)
- Data Centers (4)
- Kitting & Fulfillment (4)
- Sensors (4)
- Corrosion (3)
- Labeling (3)
- Cooling & Fans (2)
- Datacom (2)
- Automation (1)
- Honeywell (1)
- PLCs (1)
- Relays (1)
- Security (1)
- Supplier Spotlight (1)
- July 2025 (6)
- June 2025 (4)
- May 2025 (4)
- April 2025 (3)
- March 2025 (11)
- February 2025 (3)
- January 2025 (2)
- December 2024 (1)
- November 2024 (1)
- October 2024 (1)
- September 2024 (3)
- August 2024 (1)
- July 2024 (4)
- June 2024 (3)
- April 2024 (2)
- March 2024 (1)
- January 2024 (1)
- October 2023 (1)
- June 2023 (1)
- May 2023 (1)
- April 2023 (2)
- March 2023 (2)
- October 2022 (1)
- March 2021 (3)
No Comments Yet
Let us know what you think