At LyondellBasell (LYB), we are proud to be at the forefront of material innovation, delivering polyolefin solutions that enable the next generation of infrastructure. Our deep expertise in polymer science and customer collaboration ensures that LYB compounds are engineered for performance, reliability and long-term value.
The wire & cable moment
The energy and infrastructure landscape is changing fast. Utilities are hardening distribution networks. Renewables are connecting at higher voltages over longer distances. Transit systems and ports are electrifying. EV chargers are moving from pilot programs to national networks, and data centers, driven by AI and cloud growth, are multiplying, stressing both power delivery and campus‑scale distribution. Across every one of these projects, wire and cable are the connective tissue that enable power and data to flow.
In this environment, the material choices you make for insulation, semiconductive layers and jacketing determine far more than pass/fail on a lab bench. They can impact system reliability, worker safety, installation productivity and the total cost of ownership (TCO) over decades. Polyolefins, particularly polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and their crosslinked or compounded variants, have become the backbone of many W&C designs because they combine tunable dielectric performance with robust mechanical properties and chemical resistance.
What infrastructure demands from W&C materials:
- Reliability under real‑world stress: Cables face moisture, heat cycles, UV, abrasion and installation abuse. Materials must deliver long‑term dielectric integrity, stress‑crack resistance and toughness from sub‑zero pulls to rooftop temperatures.
- Safety in every environment: Flame performance, smoke generation and toxicity are carefully evaluated across buildings, tunnels, transit and data facilities. Selecting the right FR system, halogenated or LSZH/HFFR, requires balancing code requirements, installation conditions and lifecycle performance.
- Manufacturability and consistency: High‑throughput extrusion favors materials with stable rheology, predictable melt strength and well‑controlled additive packages. Consistency reduces scrap, improves line speed and simplifies changeovers.
- Improving sustainability and providing transparency: Infrastructure projects increasingly carry embodied‑carbon goals. Materials that enable sourcing from recycled or bio-circular content, introduced via robust traceability and third‑party certification, and that maintain long service life can help customers move the needle on Scope 3.
Where polyolefin science makes the difference
Insulation systems: Linear and crosslinked PE (XLPE) remain workhorses in medium and high‑voltage power cables thanks to low dielectric loss and excellent insulation resistance. PP‑based systems are gaining attention for higher thermal stability and mechanical stiffness, especially where lighter weight or elevated operating temperatures are desirable. Resin selection and peroxide/silane crosslinking strategies influence water‑tree resistance, thermal aging and processing windows.
Semiconductive layers: Conductive polymer compounds enable smooth, defect‑free interfaces and reliable field grading. Dispersion quality, ash content and the stability of the carbon black package play outsized roles in long‑term performance.
LSZH jackets formulated using mineral filled polyolefin resins can help reduce smoke and acid gas formation when compounded to meet targeted flame tests.
Additives and compounding: Antioxidants, metal deactivators, UV stabilizers and coupling agents must be tuned to the application and the processing profile to minimize gels, maintain dielectric strength and manage heat history. The right masterbatch strategy preserves color and printability without compromising performance.
Safety and standards: Designing for the environment you’re in
Selection should start with the applicable codes and test regimes for the project, then align on the complete system, including the formulations of HFFR or LSHZ compounds using base resins and additives.
Improving sustainability without compromise
Sustainability considerations are real, but performance requirements are non‑negotiable. Today, two proven pathways can integrate recycled and renewable raw materials into W&C without asking engineers to accept lower performance:
- Mechanically recycled content in non‑critical layers or jackets where properties allow, supported by demonstrated consistency, contaminant control, and quality assurance.
- Advanced recycled and bio‑circular feedstocks are introduced via a mass balance approach and verified by independent certification. This lets you retain virgin‑equivalent performance and compliance documents while attributing a defined share of recycled or renewable content to your project.
- Equally important is service life: a durable cable that performs for decades can avoid multiple rip‑and‑replace cycles. Designing durability is a sustainability strategy.
Productivity and TCO: Not just dollars per kilogram
Material choice affects much more than resin price. Consider: Will predictable melt flow and low‑gel formulations allow faster start‑ups and higher line speeds? Does the jacket material provide enough abrasion resistance to cut rework during pulls? Can a stiffer insulation enable smaller diameters at the same ampacity, reducing copper/aluminum usage? Do consistent additive packages limit print fade, easing inspection? These levers reduce total installed cost and lifetime maintenance.
Collaborating with LYB
LYB brings deep polyolefin expertise, from catalysts and polymerization to compounding and application testing, focused on solving real engineering problems. For wire and cable, that means:
- A broad portfolio of PE and PP based resins and compounds for insulation, semiconductive shields and jackets.
- Polyolefin resins that serve as building blocks for HFFR and LSZH cable formulations, enabling converters to meet demanding flame and smoke requirements when properly compounded and processed. Technical collaboration to tune rheology, additive systems and processing parameters for your lines and your target standards.
- Recycled and renewable-based offerings introduced through mass balance accounting and backed by third‑party certification, enabling you to advance sustainability targets while maintaining performance and documentation.
Whether you are optimizing a medium‑voltage distribution cable, toughening a duct for fiber backbones, or specifying LSZH jackets for transportation and data facilities, LYB can help you design reliability, safety and productivity, without compromise.
What to ask your material supplier
Dielectric integrity: What is the long‑term breakdown performance under heat and moisture? How is water‑tree resistance validated?
Stress‑crack and toughness: What testing supports installation abuse and cold‑weather performance? How does UV stability hold up outdoors?
Flame, smoke, and toxicity: Which test standards are targeted, and what are the trade‑offs in flexibility and processing?
Processing window: What are the recommended temperatures, line speeds and purge protocols? How consistent is rheology lot‑to‑lot?
Sustainability and documentation: Can recycled or bio-circular content be introduced via certified mass balance without changing compliance paperwork? What certification is provided?
Global availability and support: Where are materials produced, and what technical field support is available during trials and ramp‑up?
Conclusion: Build for the next 40 years, not the next 4
Power and data infrastructure are the foundations of modern life. The wire and cable that knit them together must deliver reliability, safety and efficiency for decades, under conditions we can only partially predict today. Polyolefin materials are evolving quickly to meet these demands, combining dielectric performance with rugged protection and credible sustainability benefits. If you are planning grid upgrades, campus distribution, transit electrification or high‑density compute now is the moment to revisit material choices.
Ready to elevate your wire and cable designs with LYB proven polyolefin solutions? Contact our technical experts today or visit lyondellbasell.com to explore our full portfolio, request a sample, or download our technical datasheets.
“Infrastructure must endure for decades, and that starts with the right materials,” said Murielle Chuzeville, industrial marketing manager, wire & cable at LyondellBasell. “Our polyolefin solutions are engineered to help customers build smarter, safer systems—today and for the future.”