Non-halogenated Flame Retardants
What Are Flame Retardants?
Flame retardants are reactive additives that improve fire resistance and smoke suppression. They are applied to materials to prevent the start or spread of fire. Flame retardants have recently become more critical with the rise in market demand and innovation in electronic consumer products and industrial applications.
How Do They Work?
Fire and flame retardants work by interfering or reacting with an ignition source like oxygen or fuel, either chemically or physically. Physical dilution, chemical interaction, and protective coatings are the primary mechanisms of action.
Why Halogen Free?
Halogen-free retardants are becoming increasingly popular due to their environmental initiatives. Their compounds include phosphorus and nitrogen and release free radicals to displace oxygen in the gas phase, inhibiting the flames. There are three types of halogen-free flame retardants: intumescent, organophosphorus, and endothermic.
End Market Applications
Benefits
There are several benefits to using halogen-free flame retardants, including their ability to function independently, meaning they may not require a synergist to provide necessary performance. They are also regarded as a greener alternative, as they do not release harmful or toxic gases during combustion.
Featured Grades
St. Louis Group PhosGard? APP is?formulated from modified ammonium polyphosphate. This material demonstrates exceptional compatibility with water-based coatings, polyurethanes, thermoset plastics, and polyolefins.
PhosGard? NH4 is a flame retardant free from halogens and based on phosphate, exhibiting low scorch and volatility properties. This compound demonstrates outstanding applicability in flexible urethane foams, engineered resins, and PVC plastics. The fundamental chemical structure involves a phosphate ester.
CharFlam? 200-M is a finely processed, melamine-based intumescent flame retardant that offers exceptional protection for paints, coatings, and textiles. The fundamental chemical composition is melamine.
BroShield? 68-B is a brominated fire retardant (BFR) that includes both aromatic and aliphatic bromine compounds. It offers exceptional safeguarding for coatings, adhesives, and fabric back-coatings. The main chemical composition consists of an oligomer derived from tetrabromobisphenol A.
If you are interested in learning more about non-halogenated flame retardants or about how they are the backbone for improving combustion and fire resistance check out our longer form article on ChemPoint.com.