ADDITIVES | FLAME RETARDANTS
meaning they are suitable for use in engineering plastics compounds. In combination with P-syner- gists, improved flame retardancy (UL 94 V-0) at very low loadings for polyolefins is provided. He also says they provide an efficient alternative to anti- mony trioxide in halogenated flame-retardant formulations. The need for halogen-free solutions is growing for multiple reasons, says Kaan Serpersu, Research and Development Engineer at masterbatch and com- pound producer Techmer PM. The two main reasons are ongoing public health and regulatory concerns with halogenated FR technology and the globalisa- tion of product lines. “Our customers are finding a need to develop one solution for a world-wide market. Regulatory challenges in Europe and Asia therefore are having ramifications on companies with a mostly North American market,” he says. Serpersu says Techmer’s PPM114517 HiFill Non-Hal FR was designed as a glass-filled halogen- free polypropylene compound solution to provide
a UL94 V-0 rating at 1.5 mm. It also does not contain any antimony, which he says avoids any SARA 313 concerns (this US regulation requires certain facilities to report routine and accidental chemical releases).
Building concerns
Building and construction has always been a key area of interest for flame retardant research, but recent events have further emphasised its impor- tance. In October, in the wake of the fire at the Grenfell Tower in London that killed 72 people, the UK government banned combustible materials from the facades of all new high-rise residential buildings, hospitals, student accommodations and other buildings over 18 meters high. These new regulations will limit available building materials to the European classification of Class A1 or A2 (many European countries already have laws ensuring the use of only non-combustible products for construc- tion of high-rise buildings). Products achieving an A1 classification do not sustain a flame, while products achieving an A2 classification can sustain flame for no more than 20 seconds. Russian Mining Chemical Company (RMCC)
produces various mineral-based flame retardants, distributed through Netherlands company Eu- ropiren. It highlights the Ecopiren magnesium hydroxide (MDH) that it says is used widely in TPO roofing membranes, ACP compounds, PVC cable compounds, PVC roofing membranes, PP com- pounds, and HFFR cable compounds. RMCC says Ecopiren serves not only as a flame
Polymer Resources extends UL options
Polymer Resources, a US-based specialty compounder, has extended its range of UL-listed resins and blends for electrical and electronics applications. The new products include an impact modified PC/PBT and a PC/ASA, both with UL94 V-0 ratings and stability under UV radiation. Target applications for the PC/PBT include injection moulded
parts such as electrical sockets and plugs for medical applications, residential switch plates and outdoor components for fibre optic installations; the PC/ASA is said to be a good choice for enclosures for medical and dental equipment that are exposed to high levels of indoor UV radiation, making it a possible substitute for flame- retardant PC/ABS. The company’s UL-listed product slate now extends to around
70 grades. It says that choosing a UL listed materials gives custom- ers increased confidence that their end applications will also meet UL requirements, and accelerates the approval process. �
www.prlresins.com
44 COMPOUNDING WORLD | December 2018
retardant, but also as a smoke suppressant and a means of reducing the acidity of the smoke. It says Ecopiren absorbs more heat than aluminium trihydrate (ATH) and forms a more stable char. “This is a big help to satisfy the CPR requirements for cables. Thanks to the high decomposition tempera- ture (330°C) higher processing speeds are possi- ble,” the company says. “Due to innovative mining and production methods, the products from RMCC can replace more expensive synthetic raw materials by offering the same performance at lower costs,” the company claims. In July, it opened its third production plant for MDH, taking its total capacity to 150,000 tonnes/yr.
Halogen-free in PCB ICL – probably best known for its brominated flame retardants – says that close monitoring of trends across its main markets has led it to broaden its portfolio and launch new flame retardants and technologies. One of these is PolyQuel P100, which the company says offers a high performance and
www.compoundingworld.com
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