FLAME

RETARDANT
Flame resistant Vs fire retardant
• Flame resistant is defined as a material that is inherently
resistant to catching fire ( self extinguishing ) and does not
melt or drip when exposed directly to extremely heat.
• Fire retardant is defined as a material that has been
chemically treated to self extinguish .
FLAME RETARDANT
• A chemical added to
combustible materials to
render them more
resistant to ignition
• Minimizes the risk of fire
starting
• Increases the safety of
lives and property.
Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI)
• LOI expresses the minimum percentage (by volume) of
oxygen necessary for a material to undergo flammable
combustion
• Atmospheric air is about 21% oxygen
• A material’s LOI increasing beyond 21 is an indication
of increasing resistance to fire

• Some polymers have a high LOI and thus are considered

inherently flame retardant
• This performance is often reflected in higher pricing
• Exceptions include some halogen containing polymers
Mechanism of flame retardant
1. Absorbing heat by release water .
2. Forming an insulating char on the substrate which starves
the fire.
3. Interfering with chemical reactions that maintain the fire
& promote the spread of flame.
Mechanism of flame retardants
• Combustion of hydrocarbon is given by,
Basic requirements
• Polymer ignitability
• Rate of flame spreading
• Rate of heat release
• Formation of smoke & toxic gases
Types of flame retardant
There are two basic types of flame-retardant chemicals:
• reactive FRs and
• additive FRs.

• Reactive FRs: These are usually introduced during the

polymerization stage and copolymerized, together with other
monomers. They therefore have only minimal effect on
mechanical properties. Typical examples are tetrabromobisphenol
A, dibromoneopentyl glycol, vinyl chloride, and bromo- or
dibromostyrene.

• These are mainly relevant to thermosetting resins, such as

unsaturated polyesters and epoxies.
• Additive FRs :- These are introduced during a subsequent
compounding stage.
• These include chlorinated paraffins, brominated organics,
phosphate esters, aluminium trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide,
borates, and antimony trioxide.
INORGANICS
• Aluminium trihydrate
 Mostly used around 43% among all FR chemicals in value
 It is used as both flame retarding & smoke supressing . It
is an economical filter & extender .
 It is mainly used in unsaturated polyester in
building/construction industry & cable sheathing
compounds.
 Main drawback is that it is not stable at high temperature
due to loss of water. To improve this, sulphur modified
grades are developed.
mechanism
• In a fire, it undergoes an endothermic dehydration with a
twofold action. Simultaneously it absorbs the heat energy
needed to sustain combustion .
• Then it is released water vapour that dilutes the
combustion gasses and toxic fumes.
Metal hydroxide
• Metal hydroxides such as aluminium trihydroxide &
magnesium hydroxide have a significant twofold action.
• PROPERTIES
 Exhibit hydrophilic properties
 Attracting moisture at their surface
 Producing poor compatibility with a hydrophilic plastic or
elastomer.
Aluminium trihydroxide begins to decompose at
temperature about 180*C with an endothermic reaction that
absorvs 1-2 KJ/gm of energy.
MECHANISM
• Due to endothermic reaction .
• A dilution effect on polymer ( by supplying less fuels )
• Formation of a charge barrior
• Reduced the oxygen concentration due to presence of
vapour .
CONTD..
• Magnesium hydroxide can impart flame retardancy &
smoke supression to a wide variety of thermoplastic and
elastomeric formulation .
• During combustion the chemical generates a highly
reflective coating of magnesium oxide , deflecting the heat
of flame.
Halogenated compounds
• These are generally interfering with chemical
reactions that maintain & promote the spread of
flame.
• These are mainly chlorinated and brominated
compounds. But some environmental issue is due
to the chlorine atoms , so mostly bromine based
compound is used.
• REASON: Bromine is heavier than chlorine &
decomposition products are less volatile at high
temperature .
Contd..
• Halogenated phosphate esters are also suitable for PS &
PU foam and thermosetting resins .
• Hexabromocyclodecane is used for HIPS, polyolefins and
PS foam .
• Pentabromobenzyl acrylate is used for the development for
engineering thermoplastic . Ex- Nylon 6 & 66, PBT &
polycarbonate.
• Tetrabromobisphenol A grades are available for use with most
resins, except polyamides, PVC, and rigid and flexible PU
foams.
Contd..
• Tetrabromophthalic anhydride and derivatives are
used mainly with thermosetting resins and PUs; also
with PVC and thermoplastic elastomers.

• Tribromophenol and derivatives (also known as

brominated epoxy oligomers) are used with ABS and
styrenes, polycarbonate, polyamide, PS, and PU
foams, and thermosetting resins; not suitable with
polyolefins and PVC
Combination of antimony trioxide and
halogenated derivative
Phosphorous based FR
• These are generally produced the insulating char on the
substrate .
• Phosphorus-based retardants are effective in thermoset resins,
by dehydrating the pyrolysing polymer, forming unsaturated
compounds with subsequent charring.
• The non-volatile polymeric phosphates thus formed provide a
glassy coating for the carbonaceous layer that is forming
simultaneously, inhibiting the pyrolysis reaction and shielding
the underlying polymer from oxygen and radiant heat.
Contd..
• phosphorus FRs are also good suppressors of afterglow and
smoke. These properties make phosphorus-based retardants of
particular interest in gel coats.
The key tests for FRs are
• Peak rate of heat release, indicating how far and rapidly a fire
will spread .
• limiting oxygen index (LOI), determining relative flammability
of polymeric materials: the higher the LOI value the more
flame retardant the test specimen.
• smoke suppression, indicating relative hazard from inhalation
of smoke and toxic fumes.
REFERENCES
• PLASTICS ADDITIVE BY JOHN MURPHY
• [Johannes_Fink]_A_Concise_Introduction_to_Additive(BookF
i.org)
• [J_A_Brydson]_Plastics_Materials_(Aluminium_Handbo(Boo
kFi.org)
THANK YOU