NEWS
Fire 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.
READ MORETextile FR innovation
Invited participant at the pinfa General Assembly, Thomas Mayer-Gall, DTNW (German Textile Research Centre North-West), presented innovations under development for PIN FRs for textiles, and indicated the institute’s interest to associate with pinfa.
READ MORENFPA fire safety of items “adjacent to buildings”
The NFPA (US National Fire Protection Association) standards committees NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000 (Life Safety Code, Building Construction and Safety Code) have agreed to extend fire safety standards to cover combustible objects “adjacent to buildings”, such as furniture and artificial vegetation.
READ MORESingapore tightens buildings fire safety regulations
Over 500 buildings will have to upgrade fire safety to respect proposed changes in the Fire Safety Act. The proposals also introduce new offences for contractors and for suppliers of non-compliant materials, with fines up to 100 000 S$ and two years imprisonment.
READ MOREUS Codes for “Fire Retardant Treated Wood” FRTW
After a number of years of discussion, agreement has been reached to clarify fire safety testing requirements for Fire Retardant Treated Wood (FRTW), that is wood which is impregnated with fire safety products (usually in a pressure treatment).
READ MOREFAA proposed changes to aircraft fire safety rules
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently considering proposed changes to fire protection regulations for aircraft interiors.
READ MOREUK plans update to Furniture Fire Safety Regulations
The UK Government has published (July 2019) its response to the 2017 public consultation on the updating of the 1988 UK Furniture Fire Safety Regulations (see pinfa Newsletter n°74).
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