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Halogen-free Flame Retardant Materials in Building Cables: Industry Needs And Technological Innovation

Views: 39     Author: Yinsu flame retardant     Publish Time: 2024-12-20      Origin: www.flameretardantys.com

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Halogen-free Flame Retardant Materials In Building Cables: Industry Needs And Technological Innovation


I. Extensive Layout of Building Cables and Potential Fire Crisis

In modern buildings, cables are not only the infrastructure for power transmission, but also play an irreplaceable role in information exchange and energy management. From high-rise residential to industrial buildings to public facilities, cables have become the core network running through all spaces of buildings. Systems such as power, telecommunication, data communication and emergency lighting all rely on the normal operation of cables. Therefore, the safety of cables is directly related to the overall safety of the building, especially in the event of emergencies such as fire, the role and performance of cables is particularly critical.

However, cables not only carry important transmission functions, but also have certain fire risks of their own. Beyond their conductors and transmission cores, cables usually contain a large number of polymer materials, such as insulation, sheaths and lining layers, most of which are flammable. In the event of a fire, these cables provide a large amount of fuel, and overheating, short-circuiting or electrical faults in the cables can be the source of ignition. At the same time, the cable network runs through every floor and space of the building, and once a fire starts, the fire spreads extremely fast, seriously threatening the overall safety of the building.

Therefore, flame retardant technology is particularly important in the design and use of building cables. The role of flame retardants is not only to slow down the spread of flames, it can provide valuable escape time for people in the building in the early stages of a fire and reduce the buildup of toxic fumes, which is extremely important, especially in densely populated places such as schools, hospitals, airports and other places. Effective flame retardant materials and solutions not only improve the success rate of fire suppression, but also buy more time for firefighting and rescue, ensuring the safety of life.

Halogen-free Flame Retardant Materials In Building Cables:Industry Needs And Technological Innovation

II. Cable fire safety: the key to ensure the prevention and control of building fires

In modern buildings, cables not only carry the core function of power and signal transmission, but also play a vital role in fire prevention and control. With the building more and more high-rise, complex, cable network has become the “lifeline” through the building. However, these cables may become carriers of fire sources in case of fire, and even accelerate the spread of fire. Therefore, the fire safety of cables, especially its fire resistance and flame propagation characteristics, has become a key part of the building fire design.

There are many types of cables in buildings, from fire-resistant cables to conventional cables, and the fire safety performance of each cable has strict standards. Fire-resistant cables, especially those used for fire alarm systems and emergency lighting systems, must have the ability to continue to operate for long periods of time in a hot fire environment to ensure that the safety communication and lighting systems in the building are not compromised. These cables are able to withstand rapid temperature changes, cold water shock and mechanical stress while maintaining the integrity of the circuitry in the event of a fire.

The fire risk from cables is not limited to flame spread; smoke generation, acid gas emissions and the amount of heat released are also important factors in fire safety. Smoke concentration and toxic gas emissions directly affect the escape time and chances of survival in a fire, especially in public buildings and densely populated places, low-smoke and low-toxicity cable materials are particularly important. Therefore, detailed test standards have been developed internationally for the combustion performance of cables, covering a number of indicators such as burning length, heat release, smoke density and acid gas emission, in order to comprehensively assess the fire safety of cables.

The fire performance of cables does not only depend on the flame-retardant properties of the selected materials, but is also closely related to their design and manufacturing process. The performance of various types of cables in a fire is often the result of the interaction between the polymer material properties and the structural design of the cable. In order to maximize the fire protection of cables, the selection of materials and the construction of cables must take into account the requirements of flame retardancy, high temperature resistance and low smoke.


III. One of the main cable materials: polyvinyl chloride

In terms of fire safety, the flame retardant properties of cable materials are crucial. With the rise of environmental awareness and the strict requirements of safety standards, polymer materials using phosphorus-nitrogen inorganic non-halogenated flame retardants have gradually become a trend in the industry. These flame retardants not only effectively enhance the fire protection of cables, but also significantly improve the environmental friendliness and health and safety of cables, especially when dealing with halogen-containing polymers such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), which can significantly reduce the release of harmful gases.

1. Status and challenges of PVC cable materials

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cables have been one of the most widely used materials in the cable industry, especially the soft PVC material, which is widely used in power and telecommunication applications due to its excellent moldability and cost-effectiveness. However, although PVC itself has some flame retardant properties, in practice, it is often necessary to add large amounts of plasticizers to improve flexibility, and these plasticizers, however, make PVC cables a potential source of fuel in the event of a fire. As a result, in a fire environment, the flame of PVC cables spreads faster and releases a large amount of toxic smoke, greatly increasing the danger after a fire.

Application Examples of T Series Flame Retardants In PVC

2. Selection and application of efficient flame retardants

In order to improve the flame retardancy of PVC cables, the industry usually adds a variety of flame retardants, common ones such as antimony trioxide (ATO).ATO is a typical flame retardant that has a remarkable effect on flexible PVC cables, and is able to effectively inhibit the spread of flame. However, although ATO has advantages in terms of environmental friendliness, its performance in fire is not satisfactory in practical applications. Since the addition of antimony trioxide significantly increases the amount of black smoke produced when a cable burns, it reduces the overall fire safety of the cable.

To address this issue, many cable manufacturers have turned to metal hydroxide flame retardants such as aluminum hydroxide (ATH) and magnesium hydroxide (MDH). Not only do these hydroxides offer excellent flame retardant properties, but they also effectively reduce smoke generation, lowering smoke density and toxic gas emissions in the event of a fire. In addition, by combining with other synergistic flame retardants such as zinc hydroxystannate and zinc borate, the flame suppression ability of the cable can be further improved and the negative effects of smoke generation can be reduced.

3. Balancing environmental protection and safety: low-smoke, low-toxicity cable materials

As requirements for building safety and environmental performance continue to increase, low-smoke, low-toxicity PVC cable materials are becoming mainstream. These materials are designed with a special focus on reducing the harmful gases and smoke produced in case of fire. For example, zinc hydroxystannate, as a synergistic flame retardant, not only inhibits the spread of flame in its reaction with elemental chlorine, but also reduces the generation of smoke by generating a layer of coke, thus greatly improving the overall safety and environmental adaptability of cables.

The fire performance of cables is particularly important in high-risk areas such as ceiling compartment spaces. Ceiling compartments are often filled with power, communication and data transmission cables, which can be the source of fire spread in a fire. For this reason, these areas require the use of cable materials that meet strict fire protection standards. In the United States, for example, cables in ceiling compartments must comply with NFPA 90A, which requires that the cable material must have very low smoke emissions and toxicity, while being able to withstand sustained operation in high-temperature environments.

4. Typical formulations and future developments

As technology continues to advance, formulations of low smoke, flame retardant PVC cable materials continue to be optimized. The latest formulations not only enhance flame retardancy, but also further reduce heat release and toxic gas emissions during combustion, meeting the dual requirements of safety and environmental friendliness in modern buildings. With these innovative cable materials, the fire safety performance of buildings is significantly improved, especially in high-risk locations such as data centers, commercial buildings and hospitals.

Flame retardants used in PVC cable materials

IV. halogen-free flame retardant cables: a new trend in the cable industry

In modern construction and industrial applications, the flame retardancy of the cable is not only about fire prevention and control, but also directly affects the safe operation of the electrical system. Halogen-free flame retardant cables, with its environmentally friendly, low-toxicity, low-smoke characteristics, has become a new generation of cable materials, the mainstream choice. Such cables are modified with Halogen Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) or Low Smoke Free Halogen Free Flame Retardant (LSFOH), which can effectively inhibit the spread of flames and reduce the release of toxic gases and smoke in the event of a fire, and is a key safety component in modern buildings, transportation facilities, communication networks and other important areas.

1. Main materials and flame retardant mechanism

The most commonly used base polymer in the production of halogen-free flame-retardant cables is a blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). This type of polymer base combines good processability and mechanical properties in cable materials. In order to improve the flame retardancy of cables, aluminum hydroxide (ATH) is used as the main filler-type flame retardant, which is processed by the fine precipitation method and has a particle size of about 1 micron. Aluminum hydroxide, which is usually 60%-65% by weight, can effectively release moisture and act as a flame suppressant in the event of a fire in the cable.

The use of coupling agents in the formulation ensures the physical properties of the cable material after processing, ensuring excellent durability and reliability. These halogen free flame retardant cables are usually produced using standard extrusion processes to ensure efficient and consistent flame retardant properties.

2. High-performance applications and special requirements

For cables with special requirements for chemical, abrasion or heat resistance, such as lift cables, elevator cables or photovoltaic cables, thermoset or crosslinked cable materials are often used in the production process. The cross-linking reaction is usually initiated by peroxides, a process that significantly improves the mechanical strength and thermal stability of the cable material. Common elastomeric materials include ethylene-propylene-diolefin copolymers (EPDM) and high-content ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVM), which are crosslinked and modified not only to improve the performance of the cables, but also to enhance their resistance to high temperatures and aging. In order to further optimize the flame retardant effect, the weight percentage of aluminum hydroxide is usually 50%-60%, and synergistic flame retardants such as zinc borate can also be added to enhance the overall flame retardant effect.

3. E-beam curing and the special needs of solar cables

In the production of photovoltaic cables, electron beam curing technology has become a standard process. This technology improves the thermal stability and UV resistance of cables by cross-linking the cable material with an electron beam. Photovoltaic cables require high temperature resistance and long-term UV resistance, so magnesium hydroxide (MDH) is often preferred over aluminum hydroxide in this application, especially at higher processing temperatures, to better ensure the flame retardancy of the cable.

4. Combination of high abrasion resistant polymers with phosphorus and nitrogen inorganic flame retardants

For some special-purpose cables, such as highly wear-resistant cables, materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are widely used because of their excellent physical properties. The use of phosphorus-nitrogen inorganic flame retardants in such base materials has become a well-established technology. By proportioning melamine derivatives, organic phosphate esters, hypophosphite esters and metal hydroxides (such as aluminum hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide) in different ratios, the flame retardant effect of cables can be significantly enhanced while maintaining the good mechanical properties of the materials.

Flame Retardant Mechanism, Scope and Application

5. Development trends and environmental requirements

With the increasingly stringent environmental regulations, halogen-free flame retardant cables are becoming more and more the first choice for construction, transportation, electric power and other industries because of their low smoke and low toxicity characteristics. By optimizing the formulation and production process of halogen-free flame retardant cables, future cable materials will be more environmentally friendly and efficient, meet higher safety and environmental standards, and help build a greener and safer power transmission system.

PVC Cables

VI. Conclusion

In summary, halogen-free flame retardant cables play an irreplaceable and important role in modern buildings, industries and special environments. Through the use of advanced halogen-free flame retardants and optimized polymer formulations, these cables demonstrate excellent advantages in terms of fire safety, environmental friendliness and mechanical properties. Halogen-free flame retardant cables not only effectively inhibit the spread of flames and reduce the release of toxic fumes, they also reduce the negative impact on the environment and comply with increasingly stringent environmental and safety standards. With the continuous development of technology, the future of halogen-free flame retardant cables will be more efficient, reliable and play a greater role in intelligent buildings, renewable energy and other areas. In the face of complex and changing application requirements, the innovation and development of halogen-free flame retardant cables will continue to promote building safety and environmental protection to a higher standard, and become an integral part of the future electrical safety system.

YINSU Flame Retardant's microencapsulated red phosphorus FRP-950X, FRP-8050 and antimony trioxide substitutes play a key role in low-smoke halogen-free cables. Microencapsulated red phosphorus can effectively capture free radicals during combustion, interrupting the combustion chain reaction and significantly inhibiting flame propagation, and the phosphorus-containing compounds it generates can promote the formation of carbon layers, insulate oxygen and heat, and enhance the flame retardant properties of cables. Extremely low additive amount and smoke density, while reducing the amount of magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide added to maintain the toughness of the raw material. Composite antimony T series can completely replace antimony trioxide, maintaining the efficient flame retardant effect while reducing the flame retardant cost, ensuring that the low smoke halogen-free cables show better fire safety in a fire, providing a strong guarantee for building fire safety.

Yinsu flame retardant is a factory, focuses on manufacturing non halogen, low smoke and non-toxic flame retardants for various of applications. It develops different chemical and plastic additive.

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