Stefan Ultsch, DOW Chemicals, discussed developments enabling to meet most demanding infrastructure and transportation standards with environmentally-friendly polyolefin elastomer formulations.
Today, products must meet not only fire safety standards (flammability), but also smoke and toxicity requirements, sustainability and recycling objectives. PIN flame retardants enable lower smoke density and toxicity. DOW has developed a formulation toolbox from novel polyolefin elsatomers, stabilisers and crosslinking agents, UV and weathering protection, colour and other additives and bespoke combinations of PIN flame retardants and synergists. DOW uses PIN FR solutions including inorganic FRs (magnesium dioxide, aluminium tri hydrate) in leading edge compounds. Longevity and weathering is an important challenge for infrastructure applications, with a range of demanding specifications. These require very high levels of FR purity, to avoid introduction of elements which will, over time, catalyse polymer or additive deterioration.