Abstract: Described herein are solid and foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions and foamed articles using said foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions. The foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions can comprise a fluoropolymer, and a plastic polymer mixed with said fluoropolymer, wherein said plastic polymer is miscible with said fluoropolymer. The fluoropolymer alloy composition may further comprise a foaming agent. By way of example, the foaming agent can be talc or a talc derivative, or a mixture of talc (or talc derivative) with a citrate compound, such as a citrate salt. One or more additives are added to render the compositions flame retardant and/or smoke suppressant.

Abstract: Described herein are foamable compositions and methods of making foamed compositions. The foamable composition comprises at least one polymer and a foaming agent. The foaming agent comprises a talc or a talc derivative. The polymers described herein comprise a substantially non-halogenated polymer. One or more additives are added to render the compositions flame retardant and/or smoke suppressant. Also described are Power over Ethernet (PoE) cables, having at least one electrical conduit comprising an electrically conductive core, an insulation that at least partially surrounds said electrically conductive core and a polymeric separator extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having at least one channel adapted for receiving the at least one electrical conduit. The PoE cables are capable of carrying about 1 watt to about 200 watts of power.

Abstract: In one aspect, a foamable composition is disclosed, which comprises a base polymer, talc and a citrate compound blended with the base polymer. In some embodiments, the concentration of the talc in the composition is in a range of about 0.05% to about 25% by weight, e.g., in a range of about 2% to about 20%, or in a range of about 3% to about 15%, or in a range of about 5% to about 10%. Further, the concentration of the citrate compound in the composition can be, for example, in a range of about 0.05% to about 3% by weight, or in a range of about 0.02% to about 0.9% by weight, or in a range of about 0.03% to about 0.8% by weight, or in a range of about 0.04% to about 0.7% by weight, or in a range of about 0.05% to about 0.6% by weight.

Abstract: A communications cable is described. The communications cable can include a cable jacket, a separator structure that defines one or more channels for receiving at least one communications medium, and an insulator that surrounds the communications medium. The cable jacket can include one or more corrugations on at least one of its interior or exterior surfaces. The separator can also include one or more grooves on at least a portion of its surface. The insulator can also include one or more indentations on at least one of its interior or exterior surfaces. The corrugations, grooves, and indentations can extend along the longitudinal length of the cable and define one or more air channels for forwarding and circulating air through or on the surface the cable. The circulation of air in the cable can reduce the temperature of the cable and increase the quality of the signal transmitted through the cable.

Abstract: Described herein are solid and foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions and foamed articles using said foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions. The foamable fluoropolymer alloy compositions can comprise a fluoropolymer, and a plastic polymer mixed with said fluoropolymer, wherein said plastic polymer is miscible with said fluoropolymer. The fluoropolymer alloy composition may further comprise a foaming agent. By way of example, the foaming agent can be talc or a talc derivative, or a mixture of talc (or talc derivative) with a citrate compound, such as a citrate salt. One or more additives are added to render the compositions flame retardant and/or smoke suppressant.

Abstract: In some aspects, polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided herein. Additionally, in some aspects, methods of producing polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided.

Abstract: High performance communications cables can provide for wireless fidelity applications. A communications cable can include core support-separators having profiles which define a clearance to maintain spacing and/or channel between the transmission media and power conductors. The core can be formed of a conductive or insulative material that have, principally, polymer blends that include olefin and/or fluoropolymer and/or chlorofluoropolymer based resins. The polymer blends can also be utilized for fabricating shielding materials. The core support-separators have both a central region as well as a plurality of shaped sections that extend outward from the central region that are either solid or partially solid, foamed or foamed with a solid skin surface.

Abstract: The present invention includes a high performance communications cable that provides for wireless fidelity applications and includes core support-separators having profiles which define a clearance to maintain spacing and/or channel between the transmission media and power conductors. The core may be formed of a conductive or insulative material that have, principally, polymer blends that include olefin and/or fluoropolymer and/or chlorofluoropolymer based resins. The polymer blends can also be utilized for fabricating shielding materials. The core support-separators have both a central region as well as a plurality of shaped sections that extend outward from the central region that are either solid or partially solid, foamed or foamed with a solid skin surface.

Abstract: Described herein are foamable compositions and methods of making foamed compositions. The foamable composition comprises at least one polymer and a foaming agent. The foaming agent comprises a talc or a talc derivative. The polymers described herein comprise a substantially non-halogenated polymer. One or more additives are added to render the compositions flame retardant and/or smoke suppressant. Also described are Power over Ethernet (PoE) cables, having at least one electrical conduit comprising an electrically conductive core, an insulation that at least partially surrounds said electrically conductive core and a polymeric separator extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having at least one channel adapted for receiving the at least one electrical conduit. The PoE cables are capable of carrying about 1 watt to about 200 watts of power.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention relates to a communications cable, which comprises a support separator providing a plurality of channels for receiving transmission media, said support separator comprising a first polymeric material, at least one optical fiber disposed in one of said channels, at least an electrical conductor capable of carrying at least about 10 watts of electrical power disposed in another one of said channels, an insulation at least partially covering said electrical conductor, a jacket surrounding said support separator and said transmission media, said jacket comprising a second polymeric material. In some embodiments, the first and second polymeric materials can be the same material, and in other embodiments, they can be different materials.

Abstract: Compositions, devices, and methods for providing shielding communications cables are provided. In some embodiments, compositions including electrically conductive elements are disclosed. In other embodiments, cable separators, tapes, and nonwoven materials including various electrically conductive elements are disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions, devices, and methods for providing shielding communications cables are provided. In some embodiments, compositions including electrically conductive elements are disclosed. In other embodiments, cable separators, tapes, and nonwoven materials including various electrically conductive elements are disclosed.

Abstract: In some aspects, polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided herein. Additionally, in some aspects, methods of producing polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided.

Abstract: A high performance communications cable includes core support-separators which define clearance channels to maintain spacing between transmission media or transmission media pairs. The core support-separator can be either interior to a cable jacket or be employed singularly without the benefit of a jacket and extends along the longitudinal length of the communications cable. Alternatively, with no jacket for cable completion, a thin layer of material along the exterior of the support-separator acts as a type of skin for mechanical protection. The core support-separator has a central region that includes flap-tops along the radial edge that are available for partial or complete sealing of the clearance channels during manufacturing operations. The central region may also include a hollow center portion. Each of the defined clearance channels allow for disposal therein of metal conductors and/or optical fibers.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a composition or set of compositions and method for producing cellular, foamed, or blown fluoropolymers such as perfluoropolymers and other thermoplastics to create a lower cost communications cable, conductor separator, conductor support-separator, jacketing, tape, wire insulation and in some cases a conduit tube as individual components or combined configurations that exhibit improved electrical, flammability and optical properties. Specifically, the foamable or blown perfluoropolymer cellular insulation composition comprises; talc and the selected fluoropolymers such as perfluoropolymers. Compounded pellets including inorganic and organic fillers resulting in products in cellular or foamable form with and without solid skin surfaces has also been realized by providing melt combinations within the pellets primarily comprising talc and a perfluoropolymer, and additives as needed to provide desired property differentiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method for manufacturing a foamed article, which comprises providing a composition comprising a melt-processable perfluoropolymer and talc, said perfluoropolymer comprising at least 50 percent by weight of said composition and said talc comprising about 2 percent to 3 percent by weight of said composition; wherein said melt-processable perfluoropolymer is selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylent/perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer (MFA), hexafluoropropylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (FEP), and perfluroralkoxy (PFA) and any blend thereof. The composition is heated to a processing temperature of at least 600° F. at which talc functions as a foaming agent, thereby causing the foaming of said composition at a foaming rate in a range from 20% to 50% so as to form a foamed article. The talc is the only foaming agent in said composition and the foaming is achieved without gas injection.

Abstract: In some aspects, polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided herein. Additionally, in some aspects, methods of producing polymeric yarns and communications cables incorporating the same are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the use of talc as a chemical foaming agent in perfluoropolymers to form foamable and foamed compositions. For example, in one aspect, a foamable composition is disclosed, which comprises (i) one or more base perfluoropolymers comprising at least 50 percent by weight of the composition, and (ii) talc blended with the one or more base perfluoropolymers, where the talc comprises 3 percent to about 15 percent by weight of the composition. Each of the perfluoropolymers is selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer (MFA), hexafluoropropylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (FEP) and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) and any blend thereof, where hydrogen-containing fluoropolymers are absent from the composition. The one or more base perfluoropolymers are melt-processable at one or more elevated processing temperatures of at least about 600° F.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a composition as well as a set of compositions and method for producing cellular or foamed or blown fluoropolymers such as perfluoropolymers and other thermoplastics articles allowing for the creation of a lower cost communications cable, conductor separator, conductor support-separator, jacketing, tape, wire insulation and in some cases a conduit tube as individual components or combined configurations that exhibit improved electrical, flammability and optical properties. Specifically, the foamable or blown fluoropolymer such as a perfluoropolymer cellular insulation composition comprises; talc and the selected fluoropolymer such as perfluoropolymers. Compounded pellets or products resulting in cellular or foamable products using these pellets has also been realized by providing the melt combination in the pellets of only talc and a perfluoropolymer.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a composition as well as a set of compositions and method for producing cellular or foamed or blown fluoropolymers such as perfluoropolymers and other thermoplastics articles allowing for the creation of a lower cost communications cable, conductor separator, conductor support-separator, jacketing, tape, wire insulation and in some cases a conduit tube as individual components or combined configurations that exhibit improved electrical, flammability and optical properties. Specifically, the foamable or blown fluoropolymer such as a perfluoropolymer cellular insulation composition comprises; talc and the selected fluoropolymer such as perfluoropolymers. Compounded pellets or products resulting in cellular or foamable products using these pellets has also been realized by providing the melt combination in the pellets of only talc and a perfluoropolymer.