To meet the stringent demands for fire safety regulations in public construction projects, German speciality chemicals producer Evonik (Essen; www.evonik.com) has launched a new halogen-free PBT grade for optical fibre jackets and wire bundles. Aside from what the company called “excellent flame-retardant properties”, “Vestodur X9426” also has a high limiting oxygen index as well as low smoke density. Smoke gases that are emitted, Evonik said, are of low toxicity, adding that the extruded material is also flexible, kink- and crush-resistant and has good hydrolysis properties.

Evonik’s Vestodur PBT and “Vestamid” PA 12 compounds for the cable industry are used to produce optical fibres and in wire insulation and cable protection tubing.