Flame Retardants: Low-halogenation, Composite, Nano-development Trend

Flame Retardants: Low-halogenation, Composite, Nano-development Trend

Due to the fact that plastics, rubbers, and other composite materials are primarily composed of organic compounds, they tend to be highly flammable and pose significant fire hazards. In practice, a type of additive that can prevent the ignition of organic materials or inhibit the spread of flames is often added, known as a flame retardant.

Flame retardants are boosters for synthetic polymer materials. By utilizing flame retardants, flame retardancy can be imparted to polymer materials, thereby preventing material combustion and stopping the spread of fire. This process also endows synthetic materials with properties such as smoke suppression, self-extinguishing, and flame resistance. Flame-retardant materials are located in the midstream of the industrial chain, with products including flame-retardant plastics, flame-retardant elastomers, flame-retardant fibers, flame-retardant rubbers, flame-retardant coatings, and flame-retardant paper. These are manufactured by adding suitable flame retardants to base materials such as plastics, resins, rubbers, synthetic fibers, and coatings.

With the widespread application of synthetic materials in various industries in China, such as construction, textiles, transportation, and aerospace, flame retardants are playing an increasingly important role in these sectors. As modern science and technology continue to advance and as countries place greater emphasis on safety, the requirements for the safety and fire resistance of flame retardants are also becoming stricter. Consequently, the variety of flame retardants is increasing, and their production volume is gradually rising. Currently, 70% of the world's flame retardants are used to produce flame-retardant materials, 20% are used for rubber, 5% for textiles, 3% for coatings, and an additional 2% for wood and paper products.

Flame retardants can be classified into two main types based on their application methods: additive flame retardants and reactive flame retardants. Based on their chemical composition, flame retardants can be divided into three major categories: organic halogen flame retardants, organic phosphorus flame retardants, and inorganic flame retardants.

I. Current Market Status of Flame Retardants

The flame retardant chemical market is a fragmented one. Looking at the regional distribution of listed companies, domestic flame retardant enterprises are mainly located in economically developed and conveniently transport areas such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, with provinces and cities like Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Zhejiang gathering a significant number of listed flame retardant companies.

At present, the domestic flame retardant market has formed a competitive landscape where large international leading companies have established a presence in China alongside domestic leading enterprises. In terms of the international market, global flame retardant manufacturing giants include Albemarle Corporation from the United States, LANXESS from Germany, Israel Chemicals, and Clariant from Switzerland. Among the domestic flame retardant manufacturers, key players include Zhejiang Wansheng Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Yak Technology Co., Ltd., Chenhua Shares Co., Ltd., Shandong Shouguang Weidong Chemical Co., Ltd., and Shandong Tianyi Chemical Co., Ltd.

II. Development Status

The flame retardant industry is competing based on the reliability of product quality, the R&D capabilities for environmentally friendly flame retardants, the adaptability to increasingly stringent environmental protection standards across various countries and regions, and the management capabilities for clean production.

The application of flame retardants is quite extensive. In recent years, national policy guidance documents such as the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Emergency Management Standardization," "Guiding Opinions on the High-Quality Development of the Chemical Fiber Industry," and the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Cold Chain Logistics" have provided strong support for the flame retardant, modified plastic particles, and product industries. These policies have created a favorable operating environment and have indicated the direction for future development.

With the rapid development of technology, the application fields of polymer materials have been gradually expanded in recent years. Due to the flammability of polymer materials, the application and research of plastic flame retardants have received global attention. As a material additive that reduces the fire-starting ability of materials, plastic flame retardants have become an essential additive for polymer materials. At the same time, the construction industry is recovering rapidly, and it is expected to grow in the coming years, which will stimulate the demand for flame retardant chemicals.

III. Development Trends

1. Halogen-Free Flame Retardants: The development of halogen-free or low-halogen organic phosphorus flame retardants is a trend. These flame retardants produce less smoke, toxic, and corrosive gases, offer high flame retardancy efficiency, and have good compatibility with polymer materials. They represent the direction for the development of composite flame retardants.

2. Composite Flame Retardants: In practical applications, a single flame retardant often has certain shortcomings and cannot meet the increasingly high demands of users. Therefore, through the technology of flame retardant compounding, the advantages of two or more flame retardants can be combined to complement each other, maximizing the synergistic effect of the flame retardants. This approach can reduce the amount used and enhance the flame retardant effect.

3. Nano Flame Retardants: The most significant feature of nano flame retardant systems is that, compared to traditional flame retardants, only a small amount (less than 5%) of nano flame retardants is needed to significantly improve the flame retardancy of materials. Moreover, the addition of nano flame retardants also enhances the mechanical properties of the materials, whereas the addition of conventional flame retardants can greatly affect the mechanical strength of the materials.

IV. Conclusion

In response to the urgent market demand for halogen-free flame retardants, Guangzhou YINSU Flame Retardant Company has actively invested in research and development, successfully launching a variety of halogen-free flame retardant products, including red phosphorus flame retardants and organic phosphorus flame retardants. These products not only meet the market's need for environmentally friendly and highly effective flame retardants but also demonstrate the company's technical strength and innovation capabilities in the field of flame retardants. For instance, the company's developed microencapsulated red phosphorus masterbatch and other organic phosphorus products are characterized by their low addition amounts, good dispersion effects, and compatibility with various materials. They can effectively enhance the flame retardancy of materials while maintaining their original physical and chemical properties.