As AI training clusters and high-performance computing continue to advance, data centers are seeing growing demand for high-speed data transmission. Large volumes of fiber optic cables are being deployed to connect GPU servers, switches, and different computing nodes.
As the number of optical cables and cabling density increase, the safety, mechanical performance, and processing stability of jacket materials are also receiving greater attention.
Why Do AI Data Centers Pay More Attention to Optical Cable Materials?
The cable jacket is the outermost layer of an optical cable. In addition to protecting the internal fibers from mechanical damage, moisture, and environmental exposure, it must also meet flame-retardancy requirements for different applications.
In data centers and other indoor environments where people and equipment are highly concentrated, flame retardancy, low smoke, halogen-free properties, and processing performance are particularly important.
Therefore, when selecting jacket materials, optical cable manufacturers need to consider the application environment, required flame-retardant rating, mechanical properties, and actual extrusion process.
How to Choose Between PVC, PE, HDPE, and LSZH?
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) offers good flexibility, mechanical properties, and processing performance, making it a widely used jacket material for conventional indoor optical cables. With appropriate flame-retardant formulation, PVC can meet different flame-retardancy requirements. However, conventional halogen-containing PVC may generate relatively high levels of smoke and corrosive gases when burned, so it needs to be selected carefully for indoor environments where smoke control is a key consideration.
PE (Polyethylene) and HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) offer good weather resistance, low-temperature performance, and mechanical properties. HDPE, in particular, provides good abrasion resistance, impact resistance, and resistance to environmental stress cracking, making it widely used for outdoor, duct, and direct-buried optical cables. Their main advantages are mechanical protection and environmental resistance.
LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) is better suited to indoor environments where fire safety is a major consideration. Its low-smoke and halogen-free characteristics make it widely used in data centers, telecommunications rooms, and other enclosed spaces. For optical cable manufacturers, LSZH materials need to provide not only flame retardancy, but also flexibility, mechanical performance, and stable extrusion performance at high production speeds.
Material Selection and Flame-Retardant Ratings
Different markets use different standards for the flame-retardant performance of optical cables, such as the UL/NEC system in North America and the CPR system in Europe.
Therefore, material selection cannot simply be viewed as “PVC means standard flame retardancy, while LSZH means high flame retardancy.” The final flame-retardant rating of an optical cable depends on the material formulation, cable construction, and manufacturing process.
Optical cable manufacturers should select the appropriate jacket material based on the target market, installation environment, and applicable product standards.
ONE WORLD Optical Cable Jacket Materials
As a cable materials manufacturer, ONE WORLD provides optical cable jacket materials including PVC Compound, PE Compound, HDPE Compound, and LSZH Compound.
We focus not only on the flame-retardant performance of the materials, but also on their mechanical properties, extrusion stability, surface quality, and compatibility with customers’ manufacturing processes.
As AI data centers continue to expand, demand for fiber connectivity is also increasing. For optical cable manufacturers, selecting the right jacket material is an important foundation for stable production and reliable cable performance.
AI is driving the growth of optical connectivity, while the right materials provide the foundation for optical cables in increasingly dense data center environments.
Post time: Aug-25-2026