New glass-filled nylon with non-halogen FR system provides higher tracking index than halogenated compounds

16-Apr-09

Chem Polymer, a unit of Teknor Apex Company has recently unveiled a new 25% glass fiber-reinforced nylon 6 compound that it says provides injection molders with an alternative to halogenated flame retardant (FR) formulations while meeting stringent requirements for flame retardance. The company is set to launch the product at NPE2009 (Booth 92020). Chemlon® 225 GVNH has a UL 94 flammability listing of V0 at thicknesses down to 0.032 in. (0.8 mm). The company says its comparative tracking index of 600 V is more than double that of a comparable compound with a halogenated (typically brominated) FR formulation, providing superior electrical performance in automotive, residential, and appliance applications such as housings with snap-fit assembly, circuit breakers, charger covers, and safety switches. The new compound is also 14% less dense, yielding lighter parts. Chemlon 225 GVNH is already in commercial use for the housing of an air filter used in a vehicle engine compartment Although the Chemlon product is currently UL-recognized only in black formulations, its FR formulation is expected to provide a broader range of colorability than brominated FR systems and non-halogenated ones based on red phosphorus, according to Richard Barnes, technical manager. Typically these permit only dark colors. "Because non-halogenated FR systems have been more difficult to incorporate into glass-filled compounds than brominated ones, relatively few non-halogenated nylons have been available in North America," said Barnes. "Our new Chemlon compound will provide a higher-performance alternative for North American molders seeking to serve the world market for components requiring flame retardancy."