XC-XC4-SLEEVING

Supported Applications

The Omega XC, XC4, and XS series provides high-temperature wire sleeving designed for industrial applications. The product overview specifies that this material is intended for industrial use only; it is not recommended for food, cosmetic, medical, or pharmaceutical applications.

Operating Conditions & Performance

The series offers three distinct temperature ratings based on the sheath material:

• Nextel 312 (XC): Continuous exposure to 1200 °C (2200 °F).
• Nextel 440 (XC4): Continuous exposure to 1300 °C (2372 °F).
• Silica (XS): Continuous exposure to 982 °C (1800 °F).

The Nextel 312 and 440 fibers are braided without organic, glass, or metal inserts. The material contains no residual acids or chlorides, preventing chemical corrosion or etching of wires. Most common metals do not attack the fibers, with the exception of molten copper and tin.

Regarding environmental resistance, testing shows no noticeable electrolytic corrosion detected at 96 percent relative humidity. For abrasive environments, the source notes that Inconel® overbraiding or a thermowell is recommended as these materials are not inherently abrasion-resistant without such protection.

Configuration Options

The series supports three primary material families with specific model prefixes:

• XC-<SIZE>: Nextel 312 Ceramic (Alumina-Borica-Silica fiber).
• XC4-<SIZE>: Nextel 440 Ceramic.
• XS-<SIZE>: 96% Silica.

Nominal inside diameters (ID) range from 1.5 mm (¹⁄₁₆") to 12 mm (½"). Wall thickness varies by material and size, ranging from 0.71 mm (0.028") for Silica XS-116 up to 1.1 mm (0.045") for Nextel XC/XC4 in the ½" ID configuration.

Chemical compatibility varies by material type:

• Silica (XS): Chemically compatible with air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, ammonia, carbon monoxide, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, sulfur dioxide, vacuum, water, various hydrocarbons, ammonium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid.
• Nextel (XC/XC4): Chemical resistance data indicates percent strength retention after 10% chemical baths: NH₄OH (78%), HCl (85%), H₂SO₄ (38%), CaO (48%). Strength retention is less than 1% for H₃PO₄, NaOH, and KOH.

Stocked lengths include 10', 25', 50', and 100'. The ordering format follows the pattern XC-<SIZE>-<LENGTH>, for example: XC-14-25 represents 25' of ¼" Nextel 312 insulation.

Key Product Differences

The primary distinction between series members is the ceramic composition and resulting temperature limit. The XC models utilize Nextel 312, while XC4 models use Nextel 440 for higher thermal capability (1300 °C vs 1200 °C). Both share similar dimensional profiles but differ in wall thickness and coverage percentage.

The XS series utilizes 96% Silica, offering a lower maximum temperature rating of 982 °C (1800 °F) compared to the Nextel variants. Dimensional specifications for XS models show consistent wall thicknesses across most sizes at 0.89 mm (0.035"), whereas XC and XC4 wall thickness varies by diameter.

Model numbers encode both material type and size; for instance, XC-12 denotes Nextel 312 with a ½" nominal ID, while XS-12 denotes Silica with the same nominal ID but different wall thickness (0.89 mm vs 1.1 mm).