做高压电缆料的圈子里有个心照不宣的鄙视链：做220kV超高压料的看不起做10kV中压料的，做10kV的看不起做低压布电线料的。但有意思的是，每年批量翻车翻得最凶的，恰恰是被看不起的低压和中压XLPE料——交联度不够、绝缘层开裂、杂质超标导致局放不过，一根电缆整批报废的事，年年都有。
说白了，XLPE这个品类，越往下走越有人敢用便宜料。正牌高压料确实贵，但低压料你也不能随便拿副牌糊弄——交联聚乙烯的脾气，比你想的倔。今天把这个品类讲透。
XLPE是什么，交联到底交的什么
XLPE，交联聚乙烯。普通聚乙烯是热塑性的，加热就熔；交联之后，分子链之间形成化学键连接，变成三维网状结构——加热不熔了，耐热温度从70度跳到90度以上，电气绝缘性能也上一个台阶。
做电缆绝缘的为什么用XLPE？因为电网里跑的电，电压越高对绝缘的耐热和耐电性能要求越苛刻。普通PE在90度就软化了，XLPE能在90度长期工作，短路时短期耐温能到250度。中高压电缆的绝缘层，几乎清一色XLPE。
交联有两条路：一条是过氧化物交联（化学交联），造粒时加过氧化物交联剂，挤出后在硫化管里高温交联；另一条是硅烷交联（温水交联），树脂里预接枝硅烷，挤出后进温水槽水解交联。两种工艺对应的XLPE牌号不一样，别搞混。
全球格局：陶氏的ENDURANCE系列和HFDB牌号是高压电缆料的标杆；北欧化工/博禄的Borlink系列在超高压和海底电缆领域份额极大；利安德巴塞尔的Lupolen牌号在中低压线缆领域用量大。三家加起来占全球XLPE电缆料产能的大半。SABIC、韩华化学、LG化学在第二梯队。
副牌从哪来，跟回料怎么分
XLPE副牌，定义不变：同一厂家同一牌号中出厂检验未完全达标的批次。XLPE的关键指标是凝胶含量（交联度）和杂质含量——凝胶含量决定交联程度，杂质含量决定局放性能。高压电缆料对杂质的要求是ppb级（十亿分之一），副牌如果杂质超标，做出来的电缆局放测试过不了。
四大来源：装置开停车头尾料、牌号切换过渡料、工艺波动批次、副线尾料。XLPE的副牌主要风险在杂质和凝胶含量两项——杂质飘了，局放不过；凝胶含量不够，交联不充分，耐热性掉档。
跟回料的边界：XLPE副牌是原厂原生粒子，没受过交联反应。回料是交联过的XLPE电缆皮重新粉碎——已经交联的PE再加热不熔，根本没法再挤出成型，只能做低端填充。做电缆绝缘的厂如果用了回料XLPE，挤出机直接堵模头。这个区别比其他品类更明显。
陶氏：ENDURANCE，高压电缆料的标杆
陶氏的ENDURANCE系列，是高压直流（HVDC）和交流（HVAC）电缆绝缘料的标杆品牌。HFDB系列牌号主打耐高压树阻水性能，中高压电缆绝缘层用得最多。陶氏在超高压领域最新推出的525kV HVDC绝缘系统，面向海上风电和远距离输电——这个级别的料，全球能做的没几家。
陶氏XLPE副牌的来源，以美国和欧洲装置的牌号切换过渡料为主。做中低压电缆绝缘的厂拿陶氏副牌替代正牌，材料成本降一截。但要注意：陶氏的高压料副牌杂质控制极严，即使是副牌，杂质水平也比第二梯队的正牌干净——做10kV以下中压缆用陶氏副牌，局放余量很大。包装分大包装和小包装，大包装适合电缆厂连续挤出线，小包装适合打样。
北欧化工/博禄：Borlink，超高压和海底电缆的主力
北欧化工（Borealis）和博禄（Borouge，北欧化工与阿联酋ADNOC的合资公司）的Borlink系列，在超高压和海底电缆领域份额极大。Borlink LS4201S这种牌号，专门面向220kV以上高压应用，最大运行场强10kV/mm。北欧化工和博禄正在扩产——到2027年底，两家在瑞典、阿联酋、韩国的XLPE和半导电料产能要翻倍，服务海上风电和电网升级。
Borlink副牌的来源，以欧洲和中东装置的牌号切换过渡料为主。做中压电缆的厂拿Borlink副牌做绝缘层，耐温等级和电气性能余量很大。注意一点：Borlink的超高压牌号副牌一般不流向中低压市场——这个级别的料本身就稀缺，副牌也被电缆大厂锁了。流通到中小厂的Borlink副牌，主要是中压牌号的过渡料。
利安德巴塞尔：Lupolen，中低压线缆的大众选择
利安德巴塞尔的Lupolen系列，覆盖LDPE和XLPE电缆绝缘料，在中低压线缆领域用量大。跟陶氏和北欧化工比，Lupolen定位更亲民——做布电线、低压电力电缆、建筑布线的厂，用Lupolen牌号的比例很高。
Lupolen副牌的来源，以欧洲和东南亚装置的工艺波动批次为主。做低压电缆绝缘的厂拿Lupolen副牌，材料成本优势明显。注意一点：Lupolen的XLPE牌号分过氧化物交联和硅烷交联两种工艺路线，买副牌前先确认你的挤出工艺匹配哪条路线——过氧化物交联需要硫化管，硅烷交联需要温水槽，用错工艺路线交联根本不发生。
三个坑，做电缆绝缘料的别踩
第一个坑：交联路线搞混。过氧化物交联料和硅烷交联料不能混着用。过氧化物交联的料里含交联剂，挤出后必须在高温硫化管里完成交联；硅烷交联的料靠温水水解交联，挤出后要进温水槽。拿错了，交联不发生，绝缘层一加热就熔——一根电缆整批报废。收货前看牌号后缀，确认工艺路线。
第二个坑：杂质超标做高压缆。XLPE电缆料对杂质的要求是ppb级。副牌如果杂质飘了，做出来的电缆局放测试不过——局放是高压电缆出厂必检项，不过就是废品。做10kV以上缆的，副牌杂质指标必须卡死；做1kV以下布电线的，杂质要求可以放宽一些。
第三个坑：凝胶含量不够。交联度靠凝胶含量衡量，一般要求70%以上。副牌如果凝胶含量偏低，绝缘层的耐热和机械性能都掉档——电缆在90度工作温度下提前老化。收货前送测凝胶含量，低于70%直接退。
科隆仓库现货｜XLPE新客
主推品牌：陶氏、北欧化工/博禄、利安德巴塞尔。
主要牌号：ENDURANCE/HFDB、Borlink（LS4201S）、Lupolen。
包装规格：小包副牌与箱装副牌走小包装，大包料/吨包料走吨袋，按车间用量分包装备货。
仓库现货：XLPE仓库现货通常在3000-6000吨，其中小包副牌备货500-800吨、箱装副牌备货200-400吨、大包料/吨包料备货2500-4800吨。
供应保障：原厂原包直采，批号随货。
选型口诀和一个绍兴的案子
做XLPE副牌最怕什么？高压缆局放不过，返工赔到肉疼；低压缆交联不充分，通电发热软化。挑料的时候交联路线没看清，过氧化物和硅烷搞混，挤出机跑一晚上出来的绝缘层一撕就裂。这三个坑，踩任何一个都是真金白银。
绍兴有家做低压电力电缆的客户，之前一直用利安德巴塞尔Lupolen的硅烷交联正牌做绝缘层，材料成本压不下来。后来换了一批Lupolen硅烷交联副牌，熔指实测2.1（标称2.0），凝胶含量实测78%（标称75%以上），杂质水平在低压缆允许范围内。上机挤出进温水槽，交联度达标，绝缘层外观光滑无气泡，电气耐压测试一次通过。材料成本每吨降了六百多，一年下来省了十几万。
这就是XLPE副牌的用法——低压缆的技术余量本来就大，副牌那点指标浮动在工艺窗口内完全能消化。宁波市科隆新材料有限公司做进口XLPE电缆料副牌多年，陶氏、北欧化工/博禄、利安德巴塞尔的货源都在跟，中低压电缆绝缘的案子每年接不少。
There is an unspoken hierarchy of disdain in the circle of high-voltage cable material manufacturers: those making 220kV extra high-voltage materials look down on those making 10kV medium-voltage materials, and those making 10kV materials look down on those making low-voltage electrical wire materials. Interestingly, each year the materials that suffer the most batch failures are precisely the looked-down-upon low-voltage and medium-voltage XLPE materials—insufficient crosslinking, cracking of the insulation layer, or excessive impurities leading to partial discharge failures, resulting in entire batches of cables being scrapped year after year.
To put it bluntly, in the XLPE category, the further down you go, the more people dare to use cheaper materials. Genuine high-voltage materials are indeed expensive, but you can't just use substandard materials to cut corners for low-voltage materials either—the temperament of cross-linked polyethylene is more stubborn than you think. Today, we'll explain this category thoroughly.
What is XLPE, and what exactly is cross-linked?
XLPE, cross-linked polyethylene. Ordinary polyethylene is thermoplastic and melts when heated; after cross-linking, chemical bonds form between molecular chains, creating a three-dimensional network structure—it no longer melts when heated, the heat resistance temperature jumps from 70 degrees to over 90 degrees, and the electrical insulation performance also improves.
Why use XLPE for cable insulation? It's because the higher the voltage in the power grid, the more demanding the insulation's heat resistance and electrical performance requirements are. Ordinary PE softens at 90 degrees, while XLPE can work at 90 degrees for long periods and can withstand short-term temperatures up to 250 degrees during a short circuit. The insulation layers of medium and high-voltage cables are almost all XLPE.
There are two ways of crosslinking: one is peroxide crosslinking (chemical crosslinking), where a peroxide crosslinking agent is added during granulation, and after extrusion, it is crosslinked at high temperature in a vulcanization tube; the other is silane crosslinking (hot water crosslinking), where silane is pre-grafted in the resin and, after extrusion, it is hydrolyzed and crosslinked in a hot water tank. The XLPE grades corresponding to the two processes are different, so don’t confuse them.
Global Landscape: Dow's ENDURANCE series and HFDB grades are benchmarks for high-voltage cable materials; Borlink series from Borealis/North European Chemicals holds a significant market share in ultra-high-voltage and submarine cables; LyondellBasell's Lupolen grades are widely used in medium- and low-voltage cables. Together, these three companies account for more than half of the global XLPE cable material capacity. SABIC, Hanwha Chemical, and LG Chem are in the second tier.
Where does the secondary card come from, and how is it separated from the return material?
XLPE subsidiary grade, definition remains unchanged: batches from the same manufacturer and the same grade that do not fully meet factory inspection standards. The key indicators for XLPE are gel content (degree of cross-linking) and impurity content — gel content determines the degree of cross-linking, and impurity content determines partial discharge performance. The requirement for impurities in high-voltage cable materials is at the ppb level (parts per billion). If the subsidiary grade has excessive impurities, the cables produced from it will fail partial discharge testing.
Four main sources: leftover material from starting and stopping the equipment, transitional material from grade switching, batches affected by process fluctuations, and leftover material from secondary lines. The main risks for XLPE's secondary grades are impurities and gel content—if impurities are present, partial discharge will fail; if the gel content is insufficient, crosslinking will be inadequate, and heat resistance will drop.
Boundary with recycled material: XLPE secondary brand uses original factory virgin particles and has never undergone a cross-linking reaction. Recycled material is XLPE cable insulation that has been cross-linked and then ground up—once PE is cross-linked, it does not melt when reheated and cannot be extruded and molded, it can only be used as low-end filler. For manufacturers making cable insulation, if they use recycled XLPE, the extruder will clog the die head. This difference is more obvious than in other product categories.
Dow: ENDURANCE, the benchmark for high-voltage cable materials
Dow's ENDURANCE series is a benchmark brand for insulation materials of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (HVAC) cables. The HFDB series grades focus on high voltage resistance and water blocking performance, and are most commonly used in the insulation layers of medium- and high-voltage cables. Dow's latest launch in the ultra-high voltage field, the 525kV HVDC insulation system, is aimed at offshore wind power and long-distance transmission — very few companies in the world can produce materials at this level.
The source of Dow's XLPE secondary grade mainly comes from transitional materials for grade switching in American and European plants. Manufacturers making medium- and low-voltage cable insulation use Dow's secondary grade instead of the primary grade, significantly reducing material costs. But be aware: Dow's high-voltage secondary grades have extremely strict impurity control, so even as a secondary grade, the impurity level is cleaner than the primary grades of the second tier — using Dow's secondary grade for medium-voltage cables below 10kV leaves a large margin for partial discharge. Packaging comes in large and small sizes; large packaging is suitable for continuous extrusion lines in cable factories, while small packaging is suitable for sampling.
Nordic Chemical/Borlink: Borlink, a major player in ultra-high voltage and submarine cables
Borealis and Borouge (a joint venture between Borealis and UAE's ADNOC) have a significant market share in ultra-high voltage and submarine cables with their Borlink series. The Borlink LS4201S grade is specifically designed for high-voltage applications above 220kV, with a maximum operating electric field of 10kV/mm. Borealis and Borouge are expanding production—increasing their XLPE and semiconductive material capacity in Sweden, the UAE, and South Korea by twofold by the end of 2027 to serve offshore wind power and grid upgrades.
The Borlink sub-brand mainly comes from European and Middle Eastern grades used as transitional materials. Manufacturers that produce medium voltage cables use Borlink sub-brand materials for insulation layers, leaving a large margin for temperature rating and electrical performance. One point to note: the sub-brand of Borlink’s ultra-high voltage grades generally does not flow to the medium- and low-voltage markets — this level of material is inherently scarce, and the sub-brands are also locked by major cable manufacturers. The Borlink sub-brands available to small and medium-sized manufacturers are mainly transitional materials of medium-voltage grades.
Leander Basel: Lupolen, the popular choice for medium and low voltage cables
The Lupolen series from LyondellBasell, which covers LDPE and XLPE cable insulation materials, is widely used in the medium and low voltage cable sector. Compared with Dow and Borealis, Lupolen is positioned more affordably—manufacturers producing building wires, low-voltage power cables, and construction wiring have a high proportion of Lupolen grades in use.
The source of the Lupolen sub-brands mainly comes from batches with process fluctuations in European and Southeast Asian installations. Factories making low-voltage cable insulation use Lupolen sub-brands, as the material cost advantage is significant. One point to note: Lupolen XLPE grades are divided into two process routes, peroxide crosslinking and silane crosslinking. Before purchasing sub-brands, first confirm which route matches your extrusion process—peroxide crosslinking requires vulcanization tubes, while silane crosslinking requires a warm water bath. If the wrong process route is used, crosslinking will not occur at all.
Three pitfalls, those who make cable insulation material should avoid them
First pitfall: Confusing crosslinking methods. Peroxide-crosslinked compounds and silane-crosslinked compounds cannot be used together. Compounds crosslinked with peroxide contain crosslinking agents, and after extrusion, crosslinking must be completed in a high-temperature vulcanizing tube; compounds crosslinked with silane rely on hydrolysis for crosslinking and need to be immersed in a hot water bath after extrusion. If you use the wrong one, crosslinking won't occur, and the insulation layer will melt as soon as it is heated — resulting in an entire batch of cable being scrapped. Check the grade suffix before receiving to confirm the process route.
The second pitfall: Exceeding impurity limits in making high-voltage cables. The requirement for impurities in XLPE cable materials is at the ppb level. If a secondary brand allows impurities to slip through, the resulting cable will fail the partial discharge test—partial discharge is a mandatory factory test for high-voltage cables, and failing it means the product is scrap. For cables above 10kV, the impurity standards for secondary brands must be strictly controlled; for wires below 1kV, the impurity requirements can be somewhat relaxed.
The third pitfall: insufficient gel content. The degree of crosslinking is measured by gel content, generally requiring over 70%. If a secondary brand has low gel content, both the heat resistance and mechanical properties of the insulation layer will decline—the cable will age prematurely at an operating temperature of 90 degrees. Have the gel content tested before receiving the goods, and reject it directly if it is below 70%.
Cologne Warehouse Spot｜XLPE New Customer
Main promoted brands: Dow, Nordic Chemicals/Borealis, LyondellBasell.
Main grades: ENDURANCE/HFDB, Borlink (LS4201S), Lupolen.
Packaging specifications: Small-pack secondary brands and boxed secondary brands use small packaging, large-pack materials/ton bags use ton bags, and are packaged and stocked according to workshop usage.
Warehouse stock: XLPE warehouse stock is usually between 3,000-6,000 tons, of which small package secondary brand stock is 500-800 tons, boxed secondary brand stock is 200-400 tons, and large bag/ton bag material stock is 2,500-4,800 tons.
Supply Guarantee: Direct procurement from the original factory with original packaging, batch numbers provided with the goods.
Selection Mnemonics and a Case from Shaoxing
What is most feared when making XLPE off-brand products? For high-voltage cables, partial discharge cannot pass the test, and rework costs are painfully high; for low-voltage cables, insufficient cross-linking causes heating and softening when powered. When selecting materials, if the cross-linking route is not clear, and peroxides and silanes are confused, the insulation layer extruded overnight will tear easily. Any one of these three pitfalls costs real money.
There is a customer in Shaoxing who makes low-voltage power cables. They previously always used the genuine Lupolen silane cross-linked material from LyondellBasell for insulation, but the material cost was hard to reduce. Later, they switched to a batch of off-brand Lupolen silane cross-linked material, with a measured melt index of 2.1 (nominal 2.0), measured gel content of 78% (nominal above 75%), and impurity levels within acceptable ranges for low-voltage cables. When extruded into the water trough, the cross-linking degree met the standard, the insulation layer appeared smooth without bubbles, and the electrical withstand test passed on the first try. Material costs dropped by over 600 per ton, saving over a hundred thousand yuan in a year.
This is how off-brand XLPE is used—the technical margin for low-voltage cables is inherently large, so minor fluctuations in off-brand specifications can be fully accommodated within the process window. Ningbo Kolon New Materials Co., Ltd. has been making off-brand XLPE cable materials for imported products for many years, sourcing from Dow, Borealis, and LyondellBasell, and takes on many medium- and low-voltage cable insulation projects each year.
