Fire-resistant cables are copper-core, copper-sheathed cables with magnesium oxide insulation. Compared to flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables used in construction, they better meet the comprehensive requirements of fire protection systems for cables. This article primarily introduces the performance and applications of fire-resistant cables from the perspectives of insulation resistance, electrical strength, heat resistance, current-carrying capacity, mechanical properties, and fire-resistance characteristics.

　1. Fire-resistant cables have a wide range of applications.

　　With the development of the economy and the improvement of people’s living standards, the residential construction industry has been thriving across the country. In particular, high-rise residential buildings have sprung up like mushrooms after a spring rain in major and medium-sized cities. Like other high-rise buildings and hotels, high-rise residential buildings impose even more stringent operational requirements on the fire-resistant properties and reliability of building electrical cables. Under conditions of fire, explosion prevention, overload resistance, and long service life, fire-fighting elevators and fire pumps must continue to function normally for an extended period. Moreover, cables must meet special requirements after combustion, such as emitting low smoke, low halogen, low toxicity, or even being completely smoke-free, halogen-free, and non-toxic. Under these demanding operating conditions, cables made from ordinary polymer materials simply cannot meet the necessary standards. In recent years, Chinese wire and cable manufacturers have successively developed flame-retardant, fire-resistant, copper-core copper-sheathed magnesium oxide-insulated fire-resistant cables (commonly referred to as “fire-resistant cables”), whose performance fully meets the requirements of modern buildings. These cables are widely used in high-rise residential buildings, office buildings, hotels, commercial structures, and other similar applications, and have received high praise from consumers.

　　II. Fire-resistant Properties

　　The causes of fires or combustion in cables can be summarized into two main categories. The first is spontaneous combustion of the cable itself, which occurs due to cable overload or short circuits. The second is cable combustion triggered by external fires. Fire-resistant cables are inherently non-combustible, a property determined by the materials used to manufacture them. These cables are composed of two key materials: copper and magnesium oxide. Copper has a melting point of 1083°C, while magnesium oxide has a melting point of 2800°C—both are non-combustible substances. Moreover, these two materials do not release toxic fumes, halogenated gases, or other harmful gases when heated, making them fundamentally different from cables made of other organic materials.

　　III. Compared to flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables, fire-rated cables have the following additional advantages:

　　1. Prevention of fires and explosions: Thanks to the seamless brass piping, the cables are completely sealed, and the magnesium insulation forms a hermetic chamber that is impermeable to water.

　2. Corrosion Resistance: The copper cover has excellent corrosion resistance, so protective measures are generally not required.

　3. Radiation Resistance: The copper sheath provides shielding and radiation resistance.

　　IV. Development of Fire-Resistant Cable Enterprises in China

　　Fire-resistant cables are increasingly in demand, driven by growing awareness and the trend toward internationalization. Currently, China's leading cable television companies have also embraced the globalized development trend of the market. These companies have widely adopted special cables with fire-retardant and flame-resistant properties and have invested heavily in independent research and development. By integrating advanced technologies and management practices from foreign enterprises, they have rapidly enhanced and developed their own capabilities.

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