Flame Retardant masterbatches for enhanced safety and security

21-Feb-14

As many plastics are inherently flammable, measures must be taken to increase their safety in applications where there is risk of fire. Often the most cost effective method of doing this is to add a flame retardant additive during processing. Flame retardants are added to different materials to reduce the risk of fire. They save lives, prevent injuries and property losses as well as protect the environment by helping prevent fire initiation and spread of fire, thereby limiting damage. Careful choice of the flame retardant for a particular polymer and application is important. Additives must be chosen to function properly in the polymer they need to protect. Other properties of the flame retardant must also be considered. The additive should be compatible with the polymer, it should not adversely affect the physical properties and ideally, be effective at low addition rates. The type of flame retardant used will not only depend on the material, but also on the degree of fire safety required. Following are some of the application areas: Upholstered Furniture For upholstered furniture, the covering textile, the polymer (PUF) or natural foam cushions, and the moulded or rigid structure can all be fire safety treated, as required by regulations so as to improve consumer safety. Buildings Fire proofing of insulation, decorative foams and other building materials, in particular to ensure conformity to building safety regulations. Cables Electrical and optical cables are particularly exposed to fire risks (in case of electrical faults), and can carry fire from one place to another. Transport (Airplanes, Ships, Trains, Cars) Transport vehicles face specific fire safety issues because of the risk of accidents, and the need to ensure occupants have sufficient time to escape. Seats, cables and plastic structures can burn violently and rapidly, if not flame retarded. Flame retardants are added to polyolefins, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters and other polymers to increase resistance to ignition, reduce flame spread, suppress smoke formation and prevent a polymer from dripping. The primary goal is to delay the ignition and burning of materials, allowing people more time to escape the affected area. A secondary consideration is to limit property damage. Typical offerings include: *Halogenated Flame Retardants *Non-Halogenated Flame Retardants *Phosphorous types *Metal Hydroxides