Additives
Flame Retardants(FR)
Flame retardants (FR)are chemical compounds added with an objective to inhibit/retard the ignition/burning of the plastic. To prevent combustion, it becomes necessary to design a thermally stable polymer that has a lesser probability of decomposing into combustible gases under heat stress.
However, thermally stable polymers may exhibit performance limitations and are often too expensive and difficult to process. Therefore, manufacturers add various flame retardants to impart flame retardancy to a plastic.
There are several chemical classes of flame retardants used with polymers including Brominates FR's, Organo Phosphorus FR's, Melamine-based FR's, Metal Hydroxide FR's, etc. Apart from these chemical classes, there are other flame retardants that can be incorporated into a polymer. They may act as additive and reactive flame retardants.
Because the need to reduce the risk of fire is critical for many paper and textile applications, flame retardants are prevalent in products ranging from home furnishings (upholstered furniture, curtains, mattresses, etc.) to transportation (fabric seating, air and liquid filtration, and other components) to building and construction materials (carpeting and walls) and more. Each application has its own inherent flame retardant needs, presenting unique challenges to formulators.
