R&D award winner: FRs to limit fires
Dow researcher into fire retardant materials, Richard Tapper, is R&D World’s R&D Technician of the Year 2025 (R&D World 100 Professional Awards 2025). Tapper develops and tests fire retardant wire and cable formulations, often non-halogenated, for applications from household to grid-scale, and recently including polymer composites for cables for solar farms. “It’s straightforward to follow the standards,” he says, “but to see past that to the application, is a huge motivating factor for me. When I approach a test, I am considering that this cable is on fire in my house. So, I am going to view the test performance objectively”. Tapper underlines the ubiquity of electrification, leading to a need for flame retardant, insulating materials to reduce risks, noting the regulatory requirements and evolving standards can catalyse innovation.
“2025 R&D Technician of the Year: Dow’s Richard Tapper pushes flame-retardant limits to curb real-world fire risks”, R&S World Online, 12th September 2025 https://www.rdworldonline.com/2025-rd-technician-of-the-year-dows-richard-tapper-pushes-flame-retardant-limits-to-curb-real-world-fire-risks/
