NEWS
EV fires an opportunity for materials
IDTechEx market report points to new equipment needs for EVs and material and new demands for fire safe materials. The report analyses new system trends in EVs and related component and material opportunities.
READ MORELow Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) FR trends
Specialchem expects strong growth in LSZH FRs, driven by cable demand, regulations, EVs and new PIN FRs. An online market overview by Polymer-Additives.Specialchem.com cites MarketsandMarkets forecasts of nearly 9% CAGR growth in non-halogen FRs to 2025 (from 4.1 billion US$ worldwide in 2020).
READ MOREPIN FR masterbatches for clear polyethylene
Ampacet has launched two halogen-free FR solutions for PE film, with high transparency and optical performance, compatible with the company’s colour portfolio. Ampacet indicate low loading rates, compliance with health and environment requirements including ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001, 94/62/EC (EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive) and automotive norm VDA 232-101 (Global Automotive Declarable Substance List).
READ MOREPIN FR system for reinforced polyamides
Budenheim’s new PIN FR system for glass-fibre reinforced polyamides offers no migration and low corrosion. The HFFR (halogen-free flame retardant) package is based on melamine polyphosphate, acting in the solid phase (charring) with a polymeric synergist (phosphorus acting in the gas phase).
READ MOREPIN FR replacing perfluorinates
Arichem, Alabama, reports increasing demand for its non-halogenated sulphonate PIN FR for polycarbonate, resulting from listing as SVHC (substance of very high concern) of potassium perfluorobutane sulphonate (and analogues). Arichem’s potassium 3-(phenylsulphonyl)benzenesulphonate (EINECS 264-097-3) is not Hazard classified.
READ MOREBiobased P-N FR for PLA
Phosphorus and nitrogen PIN flame retardant from plant-based phytic acid and furfurylamine (from furfural). Phytic acid is the molecule in which plants store phosphorus in seeds, and is not digestible by humans, pigs and poultry.
READ MOREPhosphonic acid – piperazine PIN FR
Effective smoke suppression and flame retardancy for epoxy with “eco-friendly” phosphorus – nitrogen PIN FR. A commercially available phosphonate (titrilotriemthylene triphosphonic acid ATMPA) was reacted in water with piperazine to produce a polymeric n- P salt (poly-amino trimethylene phosphonic acid piperazine salt PTPAP).
READ MOREPIN FR from recycled waste textiles
Waste PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) filter textiles were tested as a PIN FR in epoxy, showing reduced PHHR and smoke. PPS fibre bag-filters are widely used for high-temperature industrial gas cleaning, for e.g. combustion plants, metallurgy …
READ MOREInnovative melamine compound as PIN FR
A phosphite derivate of melamine was successfully tested, with SiO2, as a PIN FR solution for polypropylene (PP). Melamine compounds are recognised N-based PIN flame retardants, and their effectiveness is improved by synergy with phosphorus.
READ MOREBuilding claddings can be fire safe
Marcello Hirschler summarises updates of façade requirements in the 2021 US IBC (International Building Code). He underlines that the NFPA 285 test in place since the 1980’s has shown to ensure fire safety, in that the US has had zero fatalities in cladding fires where systems have passed this test.
READ MOREFR claddings show limited fire spread
Agarwal et al. present large-scale fire test results on twelve different ACM (aluminium composite materials) and HPL (high-pressure laminate) cladding assemblies.
READ MOREIncreases in building cladding fires
Yuen et al. summarise building cladding panel fire incidents, regulations and perspectives. Numbers of significant fires worldwide related to cladding are accelerating rapidly from only around ten per year in the early 2000’s to around one hundred in 2014, continuing to rise rapidly with 160 fire incidents in 2018.
READ MOREDermal exposure review
a review paper on dermal exposure to flame retardants shows very little published science, citing data from only four studies (Frederiksen 2016, Abdallah 2016, Pawar 2017, Zheng 2017, Fatunsin 2020) and for only eight FRs (HBCD, TBBPA, TCEP, TCIPP, TDCPP, TPHP, EHDPP, TEHP).
READ MOREBringing users needed chemical information
Need for better information on chemical sustainability through the materials supply chain. Questions and panellists underlined the need to improve information on flame retardants and materials and its availability to downstream users and product manufacturers.
READ MORESustainability means beyond no-hazard
The panel discussion underlined that sustainability is not just about hazard, but also about different chemistries, carbon footprint, recycling and social impacts.
READ MOREProduct sustainability and fire safety
pinfa’s webinar, with 140 participants confirms that EU Green Deal sustainability initiatives will strongly impact fire safety. Participants represented a wide range of industries, including chemicals, plastics, energy, transports, construction, as well as researchers and fire safety experts.
READ MOREPlastics and composites for sustainable EVs
20-21 September 2021, online, with leading automotive OEMs and suppliers. pinfa panel on sustainable flame retardants. Conference speakers include Renault, Ford, Lux Research, Audia Plastics, DAFO Vehicle Fire Protection, TUV, Technovative Solutions, Tofas, AMTE Power …
READ MORE“Taxonomy”: defining sustainable activities
Public consultation on EU criteria specifying industries/activities eligible for green investment. Open to 24th September 18h00 CEST (not midnight). The proposal identifies and defines criteria for economic activities / industries considered environmentally sustainable, so eligible for EU Green Deal investment support.
READ MOREChanges to CLP and new hazard classes
EU consultations are open on chemicals labelling (CLP): digital labelling, additional information, new hazard classes. A ‘Roadmap’ consultation, open to 20 September 2021, addressed digital label and information tools and possibly adding new, or removing, information requirements.
READ MOREFirefighters and harmful chemicals
Canada has announced the aim to protect firefighters from toxic substances, including certain flame retardants. Canada’s Federal Ministers for Health and for the Environment together announced an “Action Plan” to protect firefighters from “harmful chemicals released during household fires”, including “Banning harmful flame retardants”, supporting development of safe FRs and alternatives to chemical FRs, monitoring of firefighter exposure, identifying firefighter practices to reduce exposure, improving PPE (personal protective equipment) and information/awareness activities.
READ MOREUS EPA final rule for thirty FRs
The US EPA has published new information requirements for TBBPA, TCEP, TPP and for 30 halogenated flame retardants. The new final rule under TCSA (US Toxic Substances Control Act), three FRs* (TBBPA = brominated, TCEP = chlorinated, TPP = organophosphate ester) are identified as “high priority substances” requiring submission of all published and unpublished studies to EPA.
READ MOREHalogenated FRs on SVHC Candidate List
ECHA has added three brominated substances and MCCPs to the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern. The three brominated chemicals (BMP*, TBNPA*, DBPA*) are used in polymers resins or compounds, in foams or as intermediates. MCCPs (medium-chain chlorinated paraffins) are used as flame retardants and as plasticisers in plastics, rubbers and sealants.
READ MOREpinfa input to consultation on melamine
FRs are < 5% of total melamine use, mainly as an intermediate for melamine compounds, several of which qualify for Ecolabels. The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) stakeholder consultation on melamine, July 2021, aims to identify areas of potential risk (RMO Analysis: Risk Management Options).
READ MOREFRPM2021
pinfa outlined tomorrow’s fire safety challenges at the 18th Fire Retardant Polymeric Materials conference (FRPM), Budapest. FRPM21 took place in Budapest and online, 29 Aug – 1 Sept 2021, with 125 in-person and 30 online participants from 18 countries, and nearly 100 presentations and posters.
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