Insulation Tubing Materials Guide
A material decision guide, not a catalogue. Each family below lists only what our product pages publish: construction, temperature band, chemical considerations, shrink or non-shrink behavior, and the limitation that most often disqualifies it. Where a value is not published we say so instead of filling the gap with a generic number.
How to use this guide
Start from the worst continuous condition the sleeve must survive: temperature, fluid, flexing or UV. Then read the family sections in that order. Every family carries at least one deciding limitation: the property that removes it from most shortlists when it does not apply. Two rules hold across all families: never merge temperature ranges between polymers (a +200 °C silicone value does not transfer to a +125 °C polyolefin), and never accept a material name as a specification; grade and test report decide.
Polyolefin (cross-linked)
Construction. Radiation-cross-linked polyolefin tube, supplied expanded and recovered with hot air. Wall types run from thin to heavy, including adhesive-lined dual-wall builds.
Temperature (published). -55 to +125 °C on the halogen-free DRS range and the ≤1 kV FR range; -50 to +125 °C on the cable-accessory kits. These bands are per range, not a family constant.
Flexibility. Moderate after recovery; adequate for static and lightly flexed runs.
Chemistry. The base grades are not specified for fuel or solvent immersion. No chemical-resistance table is published, so treat chemical duty as unverified and ask.
Shrink behavior. True heat recovery, published ratios 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 depending on range.
Typical use. Harness insulation, connector sealing (dual-wall), LV/MV cable accessories, busbar casing.
Deciding limitation. Its published temperature band stops at +125 °C: any run hotter than that disqualifies it regardless of other merits.
Product pages: Halogen-Free DRS tubing · FR tubing 2:1 · Dual-wall adhesive 3:1/4:1 · 0.6/1 kV cable accessories · 8.7/15 kV cable accessories · 26/35 kV cable accessories · MPG35 busbar casing · MPG10 busbar casing · Terminal head mould cap · Anti-breakout boot · Cable endcap · Stress control tube · Zipper tube
PVC (thermoplastic, non-cross-linked)
Construction. Extruded thermoplastic PVC, stretched warm and cooled in the expanded state; orientation, not cross-linking, drives its recovery.
Temperature (published). -40 to +105 °C; recovery needs only about 90–120 °C, the lowest process heat of our shrink families.
Flexibility. Good in the recovered state at room temperature; stiffens in cold.
Chemistry. No chemical-resistance data published; PVC also plasticizes in contact with some oils. Treat it as unverified and ask for grade detail.
Shrink behavior. Heat recovery at ≥4:1.5 ratio on the published range; longitudinal shortening applies.
Typical use. Lithium-battery pack wrapping, bundle finishing, identification; the published size range (ID 12–600 mm, mostly blue) serves non-electrical protection.
Deciding limitation. It is not specified as primary electrical insulation for power cable, and +105 °C caps it well below polyolefin.
Product page: PVC Heat Shrinkable Tube
Silicone rubber
Construction. Cross-linked (cured) silicone, supplied as heat-shrink tube, cold-shrink accessory bodies, expandable non-shrink tube, or coating on fiberglass braid.
Temperature (published). -60 to +200 °C across the silicone tubing and coated fiberglass ranges; the MV cold-shrink accessories publish -50 to +200 °C.
Flexibility. The family's core strength. Silicone stays elastic across its full band, which polyolefin does not.
Chemistry. Published notes cover ozone, UV and automotive-fluid resistance; a formal chemical table is not published, so name the fluid when you enquire.
Shrink behavior. Mixed by product: heat-shrink tubing at 2:1 and a 7:1 specialty grade, cold-shrink bodies that recover by core withdrawal, and non-shrink expandable/snap-on forms.
Typical use. High-temperature flexing harness points, automotive and EV runs, cold-shrink cable accessories, live-line snap-on reinforcement.
Deciding limitation. Mechanically soft. The tubing page itself warns against using it where the wall must survive pulling or abrasion; pair it with a braid where that duty exists.
Product pages: Silicone heat shrink tubing · Expandable silicone tube · 0.6/1 kV cold-shrink kits · 8.7/15 kV cold-shrink kits · Snap-on insulating tube
Fluoropolymer — PTFE / FEP / PFA
Construction. Three distinct polymers sold under one family page plus a dedicated PFA tube. Published member ratios differ: PTFE ≈1:1 (sintered wrap behavior), FEP 1.3:1, PFA 4:1, with PFA also stocked as a 2:1 tubing.
Temperature (published). -65 to +260 °C, the highest published band on this site.
Flexibility. Moderate; FEP and PFA walls are stiffer than silicone at room temperature.
Chemistry. This is the family's purpose: chemical and solvent duty that disqualifies polyolefin, PVC and most silicone grades. The published standards (UL 94 V-0, MIL-I-23053/11 class behavior) come from the family datasheet.
Shrink behavior. Heat recovery, ratio per member as above.
Typical use. Chemical-process sensing lines, medical and pharmaceutical fluid paths, high-purity and high-temperature roles.
Deciding limitation. Cost and stiffness, and the properties are only valid for the exact polymer named. Never shortlist "fluoropolymer"; specify PTFE, FEP or PFA and the grade.
Product pages: PTFE/FEP/PFA family tubing · PFA tubing 2:1
Fiberglass / silicone-coated composite
Construction. Woven fiberglass braid, silicone-coated or rubber-lined; some types add aluminum-foil or corrugated layers. Published to UL 1441 on the coated range.
Temperature (published). -60 to +200 °C on the silicone-coated sleeving; higher-temperature uncoated and vermiculite types exist in the range but their individual ratings are not consolidated here: check each product page.
Flexibility. Good along the braid axis; the wall does not stretch.
Chemistry. No chemical table published; the silicone coat carries the same fluid caveats as silicone above.
Shrink behavior. None. These are slip-on or expand-on sleeves, not heat-shrink.
Typical use. Exhaust-adjacent harness runs, furnace and motor leads, fire-protection sleeves with fastening.
Deciding limitation. No recovery means no radial sealing: where the joint must be sealed, a composite sleeve needs a separate boot, cap or tape at the ends.
Product pages: Silicone-coated fiberglass sleeving · Aluminum-foil fiberglass fire pipe · Extruded fiberglass sleeve · Inner-rubber fiberglass tubing · Corrugated high-temp sleeve · Spiral fiberglass bellows · Cross-braid woven sleeve · High-density insulation sleeve · Double-layer braided sleeve
PET braid (polyester)
Construction. Expanded PET monofilament mesh, self-wrap or split types.
Temperature (published). -40 to +150 °C.
Flexibility. High: the mesh flexes with the harness and expands over connectors during install.
Chemistry. Not specified; PET handles normal workshop fluids but no table is published.
Shrink behavior. Non-shrink (elastic grip).
Typical use. Abrion protection and harness organization where insulation is already handled by the wire jacket.
Deciding limitation. A mesh is not an insulating wall: it abrades so the cable does not, but it adds no dielectric layer and should not be cited as electrical insulation.
Product pages: PET braided mesh sleeve · PET network sleeve (half-rolling)
Textile & fabric sleeves
Construction. Woven or crimped textile, some with aluminum-foil layer; one heat-shrinkable textile flexing type exists in the range.
Temperature (published). -40 to +190 °C on the self-winding polyester type (RoHS/REACH declared); other members' ratings sit on their own pages.
Flexibility. High; the self-winding and velcro forms wrap onto installed harnesses without disconnecting them.
Chemistry. Not specified.
Shrink behavior. Wrap-on or spiral forms for most members; one member recovers with heat.
Typical use. Harness acoustic and abrasion trim, retrofit protection on assembled looms.
Deciding limitation. Same as PET: textile is mechanical protection, not a dielectric wall.
Product pages: Self-winding textile sleeve · Velcro/zipper textile sleeve · Aluminum-foil textile sleeve · Heat-shrinkable textile flexing sleeve · Yellow wax tube
Polyimide / aramid film composites
Construction. Polyimide (Kapton-type) film combined with fiberglass braid.
Temperature (published). -200 to +400 °C: the extreme end of the range.
Flexibility. Limited; the film-braid wall holds a set shape.
Chemistry. Not specified.
Shrink behavior. Non-shrink.
Typical use. Motor and transformer lead covering, aerospace-weight high-temperature insulation.
Deciding limitation. Cost and handling: at this temperature class the sleeve is specified like a component, not cut from a roll for every harness.
Product page: Polyimide fiberglass sleevings
Materials that are not sleeve polymers
Two enclosures and two tapes complete the range and carry no polymer-temperature table here: the cable joint explosion-proof box and the MPH busbar connection box are moulded enclosures; aluminum foil tape and composite insulation heat-shrink tape are wrapping materials. Their specifications live on their product pages.
Frequently asked questions
Which material should I compare first for heat, chemicals or flexibility?
Compare the limiting condition first, not the polymer name. If the highest continuous temperature is the constraint, compare silicone rubber (-60 to +200 C published), fiberglass/silicone composite (-60 to +200 C) and fluoropolymer (-65 to +260 C published) against each other. If solvents or fuels dominate, compare fluoropolymer grades first. If repeated flexing at low temperature dominates, compare silicone against flexible polyolefin. State the worst continuous condition and the second-worst condition, then check which family publishes both.
Why must fluoropolymer properties be checked by exact polymer and grade?
Because PTFE, FEP and PFA behave differently even though all are fluoropolymers. On our published data, the family page lists recovery ratios per member: PTFE approximately 1:1 (it is a sintered, effectively non-shrinking wrap grade), FEP 1.3:1 and PFA 4:1, all in the -65 to +260 C service band. A buyer who specifies fluoropolymer generically cannot know which ratio, wall or purity level arrives. Confirm the exact polymer and grade on the datasheet before comparing quotations.
When is a non-shrink protective sleeve more appropriate than heat shrink?
When the part must stay serviceable, when the substrate cannot take process heat, or when the run flexes in service. PET braided sleeves, textile spiral wraps and silicone-coated fiberglass sleeving slip on or wrap on without heating, so connectors stay accessible and future maintenance does not mean cutting insulation off. Heat shrink is the choice when a permanent, sealed, conforming cover matters more than later access; a non-shrink sleeve is the choice when access, flexibility or heat-free installation matters more.