A comparison of this property
for various materials is described in the chart on the right. Both
LPDE and HPDE only remain relatively stable until the temperature
reaches their respective melting points. Beyond that range, deformation
resistance is greatly reduced with every marginal increase in temperature.
XLPE, on the other hand,
does not significantly deform even after the temperature exceeds the
melting point of its base resin.
The excellent resistance
to thermal deformartion and the better aging property of XLPE permit
it to carry larger allowable electrical currents under normal, emergency
or shot circuit conditions. This can be seen in the chart listed Left
below which compares PVC, a thermoplastic like LDPE, with XLPE, a
thermoasetting resin.
