Compounding World’ magazine’s annual feature article on flame retardants in plastics concludes that the market is continuing to grow, driven particularly by increasing electronics and electronic drive systems in automobiles, and that there is a strong development of sustainable solutions.
Electronics manufacturers, for example, are increasingly looking for “eco-friendly” and regulation approved materials, leading to select PIN FRs. Interviewees in industry estimated expected market growth for flame retardants at 3 – 5 % per year. Sustainability trends include development of larger molecule FRs, less susceptible to migrate out of products, and underlying trends to move to non-halogenated FRs. Other drivers discussed are the need for easy processing and PIN FR-polymer compounds able to deliver advantages such as mechanical performance or chemical resistance. Company interviews presented are: Clariant, Budenheim, FRX Polymers, ICL, Lanxess, Adeka, Paxymer, Dow Corning, Fraunhofer LBF, Rio Tinto, Kyowa Chemical, Huber Martinswerk, Nabaltec, LKAB Minerals.
“Growing FR market trends to sustainable solutions”, Pater Mapleston, Compounding World, December 2017, 7 pages, ISSN 2053-7174 www.compoundingworld.com