What Is Flame Retardants?

Flame retardants are additives. It has been proven by scientific studies that a wide variety of chemical materials are used as flame retardants. The flammability properties of polymer materials are an important factor limiting their usage areas.

Products using flame retardants become suitable for safe use against the risk of fire. It effectively extends the ignition time of the material. In addition, their use is increasing day by day as they provide gains such as tensile, bending strength, resistance to impact fractures, habit, resistance to oxygen or UV rays.

What Are The General Properties Of Flame Retardants?

Additive or reactive flame retardant seven chemical elements, when present in materials combined with polymers, have the greatest effect on improving the fire performance of the material. These are bromide, chlorine, nitrogen, aluminium, antimony and boron. Flame retardant chemicals (flame retardants) usually contain one or more of these chemical elements. their effectiveness is mainly a function of the active element in the flame retardant.

Where Are Flame Retardants Used?

Borates have started to be used as flame retardants in various materials (wood, cellulosic insulation, PVC and textiles). Boron suppresses combustion by coating the burning material in such a way as to prevent contact with oxygen.

Zinc borate is used in plastic materials and soluble borates such as boric acid, borax pentahydrate and borax decahydrate are used in cellulosic materials such as wood, plywood, wood fibre, paper and natural fibres such as cotton.

In cellulosic insulation, borax pentahydrate and boric acid are used. These products are used to increase energy efficiency, prevent the growth of fungi and other microorganisms and increase the resistance of the material against flammability. Zinc borate is one of the boron compounds used as anti-flammability in PVC,

When borate is added to PVC as a flame retardant, this gas reacts with non-volatile zinc and boron compounds and prevents the release of harmful gases.

Although borax and boric acid are useful flame retardants in the field of textiles, due to their water-soluble properties, the problem of washing out of the product may be encountered.

Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate can be used successfully for the long-term protection of wood from fungi and insects. This material can be easily applied to timber by spraying, painting or pressurising without special precautions.

In short, flame retardants;

- Automotive

- Electricity & electronics

- Household goods

- Building and construction

- Industrial applications

- Defence Industry

- Security teams

- Transport

- Sport

- Energy

Flame retardants are divided into different groups;

- Brominated flame retardant

- Phosphate flame retardant

- Inorganic flame retardant

- Non-halogenated flame retardant

- Sulphated flame retardant

Some of the flame retardants we use are as follows;

ATO

  • It is the most widely used flame retardant.
  • Molecular Formula (Antimony Trioxide): Sb2O3
  • Molecular Weight: 291.52 g/mol
  • Chemical Name: Antimony Trioxide
  • CAS Number: 1309-64-4

What are its Physical and Chemical Properties?

  • It can be in the form of dry powder or crystals or large pellets in physical appearance. It is in white solid form.
  • Melting point is 656 °C.
  • Boiling point is 1425 °C.
  • Its density is 5.2 g/cm³.
  • It has very low solubility.
  • It should be stored in cool, dry and well ventilated areas.

Antimony trioxide is an inorganic compound. It dissolves in aqueous solutions by hydrolysis. Whitish powder and crystalline structure. Insoluble in nitric acid.

It can be used as a catalyst in PET production. It is a clarifying aid in some glasses and an additive in semiconductors. It is suitable to be preferred as a component in the manufacture of complex inorganic coloured rutile pigments. It is one of the most important commercial compounds. In its crude form it can be re-volatilised. In some cases it contains rich mining properties. It prevents foaming in glasses. Since it is flame retardant, many sectors may prefer to use it. It is an opacifier. When tin is added to colours, antimony trioxide looks even more vivid.

What are the Usage Areas of Antimony Trioxide?

  • It is used in the glass, optical and ceramic industry due to its insoluble and thermally stable properties.
  • It is used as a flame retardant additive in the production of many plastics, rubber and fibre products. Slightly more than 8% antimony is used in plastic products.
  • Antimony is used as a pigment to lighten the colour of optical lenses and to thin these optical lenses.
  • It is also used as an opacifier in enamels for glass and ceramics.
  • It is used as a pigment and catalyst in paint production.
  • It is used as flame retardant in the textile industry. In the textile industry, it is used in areas such as the manufacture of bed linen, furniture and carpets.
  • Antimony is also a compound used in the manufacture of a plastic material such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET).
  • Antimony trioxide is used in the manufacture of brake pads. In this way, it is used to prevent the burning of heated brake pads.

Zinc Borate

Zinc borate is an inorganic flame retardant. It is a white crystalline powder insoluble in water.

Melting point is 980 degrees

Cas No :12513-27-8/12280-01-2

Zinc Borate has a wide range of applications as smoke suppressant and flame retardant in plastics, rubber, textiles, paints, adhesives, pigments and ceramics. Thanks to its high dehydration temperature, it is suitable for use in the production of high temperature resistant polymers. It can be used in both halogen-containing and halogen-free flame retardant formulations.

Decabromdiphenyl Ethane (CODE:ECOFLAME B-971)

EcoFlame B-971 is a non-brominated flame retardant based on diphenyl oxide. It exhibits good UV resistance, making it suitable for use in many applications requiring colour stability.

Decabromdiphenyl Ethane Properties

- It offers excellent thermal stability and low efflorescence properties.

- It is particularly suitable for high temperature applications.

- Decabromediphenyl ethane is also used in styrenic polymers, engineering resins, wires and cables and elastomers.

TPP

TPP is a flame retardant used in many plastics.

CAS NO: 597-82-0

TPP is in the form of large crystals. they are corrosion inhibitors and scale inhibitors. TPP flame retardant has excellent extreme pressure properties. it has great abrasion resistance. it has high thermal stability properties.

  • Product: Triphenyl Phosphate
  • Synonyms: Flame Retardant TPP CAS NO: 115-86-6
  • Molecular formula: C18H15O4P Structure formula:

Properties: White flake crystal. Application:

TPP can be used as flame retardant in many plastics and resins (such as PVC, PP, PC, ABS, phenolic resin, cellulose resin and epoxy).

TCPP

It is a flame retardant used in PVC, polyurethane foam and phenolic products with moisture resistant, low temperature resistance and non-flammability properties.

TCPP is a flame retardant used in both rigid (PUR and PIR) and flexible PU foams. It provides long-term stability thanks to its ability to bind to both sides of Urethane/Isocionate binary systems.

TCPP complies with DIN 4102, (B1/B2), EN 13823 (SBI, B) GB/T 8626-88 (B1/B2), ASTM E84-00 flammability safety codes in rigid foam applications.

TCPP passes BS 5852 crib 5 safety code when used with melamine in flexible foam applications.

TCPP Technical Specifications

  • Chemical Name Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate -
  • Chemical Formula C9H18Cl3O4P - MW 327.56 -
  • CAS Number 13674-84-5 -
  • Density 25 °C g/cm3 1,280-1,290 -
  • Freezing Point °C -42 -
  • Boiling Point °C 218

Where TCPP Is Used

Tcpp flame retardant, floor covering and adhesive, polyurethane, block sponge, artificial leather.

APP

CAS NO: 68333-79-9

Molecular formula: (NH4PO3) n

Ammonium polyphosphate is a type of flame retardant. It is the ammonium salt of phosphoric acid. It is a high molecular weight fire retardant. To achieve a synergistic effect, ammonium polyphosphate is added to the formulation of flame retardant coatings together with pentaerythritol or melamine. APPs are used in intumescent fire resistant coatings for polyolefins (polypropylene, polyester and thermoplastic polyolefins), thermosetting resins (epoxy, phenolic and unsaturated polyesters), thermoplastics, textile coatings, paints, plywood.

MCA

Melamine cyanurate.

In recent years, the intense demand for fire safety has increased the consumption of flame retardants. Not only fire fighting, but also the environmental impact of flame retardant systems have become key issues. MCN is a flame retardant that does not harm the environment with its halogen-free structure. Used especially for PA6 and PA66, MCN gives these systems UL 94 V-0 properties.

MCN, which decomposes endothermically above 320°C, acts as an inert gas source that dilutes the oxygen and fuel gases at the combustion point, while at the same time it acts as a coolant by absorbing the heat in the environment. MCN shows superior flame retardant properties compared to APP and MPP. MCN is an odourless, non-toxic white crystalline powder, almost insoluble in water but partially soluble in ethanol, methanol and other organic solvents.

Characteristics

  • Halogen-free, low smoke density, low smoke toxicity and less corrosion
  • Better electrical and mechanical properties
  • Better thermal stability
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Homogeneous distribution
  • High thermal resistance and good thermal stability,
  • Fixed colour
  • Non-toxic and odourless
  • Soluble in water and most organic solvents.
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