NEWS
PIN FRs maintained on TCO accepted list
TCO, the health, environment and worker protection label for office and home electronics, has updated its list of “alternative safer substances” to now include 14 PIN flame retardants, including mineral FRs (ATH, MDH), nitrogen FRs (melamine polyphosphate) and phosphorus FRs
READ MOREUS defines fire standards for mass timber construction
The state of Utah and the city of Denver, Colorado, have taken the lead in introducing mass timber into its Building Code, as of 2020. Mass timber is defined as the use of large, solid wood panels for wall, floor and roof construction.
READ MOREUS heads for minimal national furniture fire standards
The US Congress voted on 17th December 2019 the “Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act” (SOFFA, H.R.2647).
READ MOREPIN FR polyamide for 3D-printing for e-mobility
Clariant has launched a range of glass fibre reinforced polyamides for 3D-printing which use phosphorus-based PIN flame retardants to achieve demanding fire performance and low smoke toxicity.
READ MOREFirst ever FR photopolymer for SLA 3D-Printing
The Austrian high-tech 2015 start-up Cubicure, a spin-off from TU Wien, has launched the first ever flame-retardant photopolymer for SLA (Stereolithography 3D-Printing process).
READ MOREHEXPOL TPE reliable and durable FR cable compounds
The international polymer compounder HEXPOL TPE, specialised in thermoplastic elastomers, has launched new PIN FR materials for performance cable sheathing, with the objective of ensuring high standards of reliability and durability, customisation and easy processing, as well as low toxicity and smoke levels.
READ MOREFire protecting the world’s biggest mall
Over one hundred tonnes of non-halogenated flame retardant coating provided by AUDAX-Keck, Germany, with local partner Padena Hoor, will ensure fire protection of the steel structural elements of the world’s biggest mall, the “Iran Mall”, currently under construction in North Tehran.
READ MOREPIN FR for interior wood achieves Greenguard Gold
Koppers, a specialist in wood treatment, wood products and carbon chemicals, has launched FlamePRO, for pressure treatment for fire safety of interior-application wood construction materials, plywood and timber.
READ MOREGrowth predicted for flame retardants
New market studies continue to predict growth for flame retardant demand, particularly for PIN FRs. Credence Research predicts 6.4% annual growth for the flame retardants globally to 2025, marginally...
READ MOREBolton UK student housing cladding fire
A six-storey student residential building, The Cube, housing over 220 students, in Bolton UK, suffered a major fire on 15th November 2019.
READ MOREFire losses in the USA
The US Fire Administration has published a 100-page report on fire losses in the USA, 2008-2017. Some 1.3 million fire incidents were reported to fire departments in 2017 resulting in 3 400 deaths, 14 700 injuries and 23 billion US$ financial losses.
READ MOREDatabase shows variability of cladding fire performance
Data from 252 commercial fire tests in Poland (KRESNIK) was analysed (tests of 90 façade materials, some were tested three times, some fewer if failed).
READ MORERecycling FR boron from insulation to fertiliser
A R&D trial tested biochar, produced by pyrolysis at 600°C of boric acid flame retardant treated cellulosic insulation material (produced from recycled paper, Isocell Austria), as a boron fertili...
READ MOREDOPO – nitrogen – silicon FR for cotton
DOPO was reacted (in solvents) with piperazine (an organic compound containing nitrogen) and then with a chloro-silane compound, to produce a DOPO-N-Si molecule (not containing the chlorine): 1-(9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide)-4-(trimethoxysilylmethyl) piperazine (DOPO-PiP-Si).
READ MOREBio-based (vitamin B5) P – N FR for cotton
D-Panthenol (vitamin B5) is widely present in plants and animals, including in e.g. milk and soybean, and naturally contains both nitrogen and reactive OH groups.
READ MOREPhytic acid – zirconium bio-based FR for epoxy
The zirconium-containing MOF metal organic framework UiO66 (University of Oslo Zirconium 1,4-dicarboxybenzene, a MOF known for its exceptional stability) was functionalised with an amine and with phytic acid (PA, which can be bio-sourced and contains 60% phosphorus), in a one-step synthesis.
READ MOREATH effective as FR and smoke suppressant in epoxy
Aluminium tri-hydroxide (ATH) powder was tested at 0 – 15% loading in epoxy resin (E51) in 4 mm sheets. Peak heat release rate was reduced by nearly 30% by 15% ATH compared to neat epoxy, total smoke release was reduced by nearly 18% and carbon monoxide production rate reduced by over 30%.
READ MOREComparing smoke suppressants for APP – vinyl ester
Vinyl ester resins (VER) are polymers offering mechanical performance, temperature resistance, good processing and chemical resistance, used in applications including pipelines, electrical insulation, automobile and aviation.
READ MOREHyphosphite PIN FRs for cotton
A research paper tests calcium hypophosphite (CaPi) and magnesium hypophosphite (MgPi) as PIN FRs for cotton fabrics, also with nano-particles of a clay and a silsesquioxane as synergists (sodium montmorillonite, octa-ammonium polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane POSS). CaPi showed slightly better flame retardant effectiveness (LOI 23 at 15% weight loading CaPi on cotton, compared to 21 with 14% MgPi and 18 for untreated cotton fabric).
READ MOREResearchers propose “Flame Retardancy Index”
Several leading materials fire scientists have proposed a dimensionless "Flame Retardance Index” for flame retarded (compounds), based on cone calorimetry data: pHRR (peak heat release rate), THR (total heat release) and TTI (time to ignition). Each of these reflects a different aspect of fire performance.
READ MOREWash-resistant P-N flame retardant for cotton
A phosphorus-nitrogen flame retardant for cotton was synthesised and tested, showing good washability without formaldehyde release, maintaining self-extinguishing (125 g/m2 fabric) after 50 laundering cycles.
READ MOREEU consultation on classification of melamine
ECHA (European Chemical Agency) has launched, open to 7th February 2020, a public consultation on a proposal to classify (CLH) melamine as Cat 2 carcinogen (H351 suspected carcinogen) STOT RE1 (specific target organ toxicity, H372 urinary tract), based on possible risks from oral intake.
READ MOREConsultation on RoHS restrictions for halogenated FRs
The European Commission has a consultation, open to 30th January 2020, on restrictions of additional substances under the RoHS Regulation (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment), with assessments of TBBPA (tetrabromobisphenol-A), MCCPs (medium chain chlorinated paraffins) and ATO (diantimony oxide).
READ MOREpinfa 2019 actions and projects 2020
Nearly all of pinfa’s 31 members (flame retardant manufacturers and users) were present in Cologne, Germany, for the association’s second General Assembly of 2019. pinfa’s 2019 activities were discussed, as presented in the Annual Report here.
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