Fire resistant coaxial cable for distributed antenna systems

Abstract

A fire resistant coaxial cable and method of making includes a 2-part dielectric made of a polymer foam and a ceramifiable silicone rubber. The polymer foam, which can be polypropylene or other polymers, leaves little-to-no residue in the cable that causes electromagnetic loss when upon burning. The polymer foam can be extruded over a center conductor using an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to propagate the foam, ensuring little-to-no residue in the cable. The ceramifiable silicone rubber can be extruded over the polymer foam. The ceramifiable silicone rubber can have a polysiloxane matrix with inorganic flux and refractory particles that ceramify under high heat, such as temperatures specified by common fire test standards (e.g., 1850° F./1010° C. for two hours). The cable is configured to maintain a relatively coaxial relation between a center conductor and an outer conductor even under aforementioned fire tests. Another layer of ceramifiable silicone rubber surrounds the outer conductor and continues to insulate it from the outside if a low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) jacket burns away.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.