Which Heat-Shrinkable tubing material should I use?
In selecting the best type of tubing for your application, the critical factor to consider is the environment where tubing will be used.
Select the tubing material that operates within the temperature range of the environment.
| Material | Temperature Range |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | -55°C to 135°C |
| PVC | -20°C to 105°C |
| Cross-Linked PVC | -20°C to 105°C |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | -55°C to 110°C |
| Multi-Wall PVC | -20°C to 105°C |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | -55°C to 175°C |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | -70°C to 121°C |
| Fluoroelastomer | -55°C to 200°C |
| Medical Grade | -55°C to 121°C |
| Food Grade | -55°C to 121°C |
Will the tubing stand up to abrasion or will it be used to provide protection from damage and abuse?
| Material | Abrasion Resistance |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Good |
| PVC | Excellent |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Excellent |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Good |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Excellent |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | Excellent |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Excellent |
| Fluoroelastomer | Excellent |
| Medical Grade | Excellent |
| Food Grade | Excellent |
Will the tubing stand up to abrasion or will it be used to provide protection from damage and abuse?
| Material | Acids | Solvents | Fuels/Oils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Excellent | Good | Good |
| PVC | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Fluoroelastomer | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Medical Grade | Resists a Wide Range of Chemicals | ||
| Food Grade | Resists Many Chemicals & Oils | ||
Tensile Strength is a measurement of the amount of stretching required to break or rupture the tubing. Tensile strength may be affected by the thickness of the tubing wall.
| Material | Tensile Strength |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | 1,500 psi 2,600 psi |
| PVC | 3,000 psi |
| Cross-Linked PVC | 3,000 psi |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | 2,100 psi 2,200 psi |
| Multi-Wall PVC | 3,000 psi |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | 5,500 psi |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | 2,100 psi |
| Fluoroelastomer | 2,400 psi |
| Medical Grade | 3,200 psi 3,600 psi |
| Food Grade | 2,500 psi |
Dielectric Strength is a measure of the electrical insulation provided – the voltage that the tubing can withstand before dielectric breakdown occurs.
| Material | Dielectric Strength |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | 500 vpm 900 vpm |
| PVC | 1,083 vpm |
| Cross-Linked PVC | 1,083 vpm |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | 700 vpm 800 vpm 900 vpm |
| Multi-Wall PVC | 1,083 vpm |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | 900 vpm |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | 800 vpm |
| Fluoroelastomer | 500 vpm |
| Medical Grade | 1,800 vpm 2,000 vpm |
| Food Grade | 1,800 vpm |
| Material | Water Resistance |
|---|---|
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Provides Flexible, Tough, Permanent, Water Resistant Protection |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Provides Permanent, Water & Salt Water Resistant Protection, Excellent UV Resistance for Outdoor Applications, Irradiated Multi-Wall PVC Available |
| Medical Grade | Self-Sealing – Unique Heat Sealable Property Without Glue Prevents Moisture from Entering Into the Underlying Substrate |
| Material | Flexibility |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Very Flexible |
| PVC | Flexible |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Flexible |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Flexible |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Flexible |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | Semi-Rigid |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Flexible – Even at Low Temperatures |
| Fluoroelastomer | Very Flexible |
| Medical Grade | Flexible |
| Food Grade | Flexible |
Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) operates a testing and accreditation service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment. VW-1 is a flammability test conducted by UL or CSA (Canadian Testing Standards). Tubing with a VW-1 rating is highly flame-retardant.
| Material | UL VW-1 Flammability |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | UL VW-1 Colors Only – Not Clear |
| PVC | UL VW-1 Colors & Clear |
| Cross-Linked PVC | UL VW-1 Colors & Clear |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | UL VW-1 Outer Jacket |
| Multi-Wall PVC | UL VW-1 Outer Jacket |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | UL VW-1 |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | No |
| Fluoroelastomer | No |
Will the tubing be exposed to UV light in outdoor applications?
| Material | UV Resistance |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Poor |
| PVC | Excellent |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Excellent |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Poor |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Excellent |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | Fair |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Good |
| Fluoroelastomer | Fair |
| Medical Grade | NA |
| Food Grade | NA |
Heat shrink tubing shrinks and conforms to the underlying materials. The greater the size variations of the underlying materials being covered, the larger the shrink ratio required.
| Material | Shrink Ratio |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | 2:1 3:1 |
| PVC | 2:1 |
| Cross-Linked PVC | 2:1 |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | 2:1 3:1 2.5:1 |
| Multi-Wall PVC | 2:1 |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | 2:1 |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | 2:1 |
| Fluoroelastomer | 2:1 |
| Medical Grade | 2:1 |
| Food Grade | 2:1 |
In addition to its standard colors, Insultab does custom color matching.
| Material | Standard Colors |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Black, Clear, White, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue |
| PVC | Black, Clear, White, Red, Yellow, Blue Bright Colors – Crystal Clear |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Black |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Black |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Black |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | Translucent |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Black |
| Fluoroelastomer | Black |
| Medical Grade | Black, Clear, Blue, White |
| Food Grade | Black, Clear, Blue, White |
A quick overview of the special operational features of the various tubing materials.
| Material | Special Features |
|---|---|
| Polyolefin | Excellent Electrical, Chemical, Physical Properties |
| PVC | 30% Stronger than Polyolefin, Low Shrink Temperature, Clear & Vivid Colors are UL VW-1, Excellent UV Resistance |
| Cross-Linked PVC | Irradiated, 30% Stronger than Polyolefin, Highly Abrasion Resistant, Excellent UV Resistance |
| Multi-Wall Polyolefin | Provides Permanent, Water Resistant Protection, Flame Retardant Jacket |
| Multi-Wall PVC | Provides Permanent, Water Resistant Protection, Excellent UV Resistance, Flame Retardant Jacket, Irradiated Multi-Wall PVC Available |
| Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) | High Abrasion, Cut-Through, High Temperature Resistance, Flame Retardant, Transparent |
| Chlorinated Polyolefin Elastomer | Broad Operating Temperature Range, Excellent in Severe Outdoor Environments and Rugged Applications |
| Fluoroelastomer | Excellent Continuous High Temperature Operating Performance |
| Medical Grade | Highly Lubricious, Non-Toxic, Self-Sealing, Meets USP Class VI Requirements |
| Food Grade | Environmentally Friendly, Resists Sunlight, Moisture, Fungus, Meets USFDA Requirements |