Flame Retardant Compounds
Clwyd Compounders has developed a range of flame retardant (FR) halogen free compounds.
These are designed for:
1. Low smoke
2. Low toxicity (LSLT) applications
3. Suitable for testing to a variety of transportation related specifications
FR compounds have always been in high demand within the rubber industry due to their application within transportation related industries, but the use of traditional halogen containing FR materials is a topic of great debate at the moment due to the detrimental effect scientists have proven they have on the environment and on the human health. The use of halogen containing FR materials in Europe is slowly coming to an end with REACH and RoHS legislation restricting their use in many products.
Halogen free additives are now often used within the industry but they can affect material performance with the material, at times, lacking the required physical performance for the finished article.
Poor physical properties are often seen with halogen free compounds in which the polymer used wants to burn and therefore a high loading of FR fillers such as Alumina Trihydrate (ATH) and Magnesium Hydroxide (Mg(OH)2 are often used to combat this. The high filler loading dramatically drops the physical properties of the material and detrimentally impacts the processability of the compound as a result. These high filler loadings also have the added benefit of making the compound price more cost effective. The downstream impact of this is often not considered important.
Achieving optimum physical properties with FR materials is all about achieving the right balance between the level of flame retardancy required and material processability in production. This is the art that allows you to produce a part with optimal properties for your end application.
Based upon industry feedback, our experienced technical team have formulated and developed a range of LSLT halogen free FR compounds with EPDM, Silicone and Vamac® in black and coloured formats. Compounds have also been specifically formulated for UL94 V0 requirements if required. All compounds have been designed for individual applications, to ensure the material performance and processability are optimised for each application.
Achieving the balance between the level of flame resistance required and material performance is vital in ensuring the compound is not only suitable for its application but also superior in terms of processability and performance.
A variety of industries can benefit greatly from having compounds available to them that are composed of the optimum balance of FR fillers and additives to create an LSLT compound that meets the desired transportation related specification whilst having superior physical properties compared to commercially available materials. Achieving requirements such as UL94 V0 or high LOI values is achievable without sacrificing material performance.
As part of this project, Clwyd Compounders Ltd has developed a black 70 shore A EPDM which is fully approved to EN 45545-2 R22 HL2. Several other compounds have also been developed, suitable for similar rail, aerospace and marine FR applications and are available upon request, click here for more details within our Specialist Materials offering.
> Download our Technical Paper on Flame Retardant Compounds here
