Coated textile sleeve and method of construction thereof

1. A protective textile sleeve, comprising:

a flexible, tubular wall of braided yarns;

a fluid impervious coating applied to said wall, said coating being water-based and including a distinct first layer underlying a distinct second layer, said first layer including a dielectric enhancing additive and a thickening agent and said second layer being free of said thickening agent.

2. The protective textile sleeve of claim 1 wherein said braided yarns include high temperature yarn.

3. The protective textile sleeve of claim 2 wherein said high temperature yarn is Nomex.

4. The protective textile sleeve of claim 1 wherein said braided tubular wall has between about 15-25 picks-per-inch.

5. The protective textile sleeve of claim 1 wherein said coating is cured.

6. The protective textile sleeve of claim 1 wherein said dielectric enhancing additive is barium sulfate.

7. The protective textile sleeve of claim 6 wherein said thickening agent is a gum-type thickening agent.

8. The protective textile sleeve of claim 1 wherein said coating is a fluorolatex material.

9. A method of constructing a protective textile sleeve, comprising:

braiding a tubular wall;

applying a water-based coating on the wall in at least two separate application steps including applying a first layer having a dielectric enhancing additive and a thickening agent and then, after applying the first layer, applying a second layer containing a dielectric enhancing additive, however, being free of a thickening agent; and

curing the coating.

10. The method of claim 9 further including heat-treating the tubular wall before applying the water-based coating.

11. The method of claim 10 further including performing the heat-treating with a flame.

12. The method of claim 10 further including drying the first layer before applying the second layer.

13. The method of claim 9 further including adding a cross-linker to the water-based coating.

14. The method of claim 9 further including performing the curing at about 200 degrees Celsius for about 12 hours.

15. The method of claim 9 further including drying the first layer before applying the second layer.

16. The method of claim 9 further including applying the first layer using a gravity feed system in combination with a round cross-head and wiper set-up.

17. The method of claim 16 further including applying the second layer in a dipping process.