A thermoset is a material which hardens or sets when heat is applied, and which, once set, cannot be re-softened by heating; the application of heat is called curing.
A thermoset is a material that hardens, or sets, permanently when heat is applied, and which once set cannot be softened again by reheating. The application of heat that causes this permanent hardening is called curing, or vulcanization in the case of rubbers. During curing, the material's molecules cross-link into a rigid, stable network, which is why a thermoset cannot reflow like a thermoplastic.
Because they are cross-linked, thermoset insulations and jackets, such as cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and many rubbers, offer excellent heat resistance, dimensional stability, and durability at high temperatures, since they do not melt and flow when heated. This makes them valuable where thermoplastics would soften.
In commercial and industrial cable, thermoset insulations and jackets serve applications needing heat resistance and stability. Recognizing the term helps in understanding the materials and processing behind such cable.
Because they are cross-linked, thermoset insulations and jackets such as cross-linked polyethylene and many rubbers offer excellent heat resistance, dimensional stability, and durability at high temperatures, since they do not melt and flow when heated the way thermoplastics do.
Recognizing how thermosets cure into a stable, heat-resistant material helps illustrate why they are used where thermoplastics would soften, with cross-linked insulations offering heat resistance and dimensional stability in commercial and industrial cable.
At Windy City Wire, an understanding of insulation materials, including thermosets, supports the selection of low-voltage cable suited to an application. Recognizing how thermosets cure into a stable, heat-resistant material helps illustrate why they are used where thermoplastics would not suffice.