FLAME RETARDANT ADDITIVE
We protect against Fire Hazards
Significance
These additives are common
in numerous everyday products to avoid the ignition and burning
of plastics. Halogenated flame retardants are highly effective at
relatively low load levels. Non-halogen, or halogen free, flame
retardants are increasing in demand and include intumescents
(phosphorus-based) and metallic oxides.
Know more
. Non-halogen flame
retardants require a higher load level, and often need additional
adjustments to maintain the mechanical properties of the plastic.
To prevent combustion, it becomes necessary to design a
thermally stable polymer that has a lesser probability of
decomposing into combustible gases under heat stress.They do
suppress or delay combustion process, impending burning in the ignition phase of Fire.
Mechanism
Flame retardant additives can be compounded with the base polymer or added during the plastic processing step. Sometimes combustion may be prevented by simply adding the flame retardant to a surface layer finish on the final product.
Know more
When plastic burns, long-chain molecules of the polymer chain are degraded into smaller hydrocarbon molecules and flammable gases, such as free radicals through a process called pyrolysis. For a fire to begin, fuel, oxygen and an ignition source must be present. Flame retardants work by interfering or eliminating one of these key ingredients, either physically or chemically. There are a few common methods that flame retardants do to inhibit combustion, they are a)Gaseous inhibition , b)Solid char formation &
c)Endothermic cooling .
How it works?
The most important flame retardants systems used act either in the gas phase where they remove the high energy radicals H and OH from the flame or in the solid phase, where they shield the polymer by forming a charred layer and thus protect the polymer from being attacked by oxygen and heat.
Know more
Most commonly used FR additives comprises of Organic halogenated compounds, especially bromine-based types. They act to halt exothermic processes by trapping high-energy free radicals after they form.