Clariant is demonstrating the added sustainability value of its Exolit halogen-free flame retardants to composite manufacturers.With today's lightweight composite materials subject to stringent performance demands and ever-tightening segment regulations and restrictions, Clariant goes the next step in delivering efficient and effective fire protection with more environmentally friendly flame retardants that promise low emission. Its unique phosphorus flame retardant Exolit OP and ammonium polyphosphate Exolit AP product lines together support a wide range of composite applications where it is required that flame retardancy strikes a balance between fire protection, environmental and health factors, and manufacturing efficiency.
Clariant offers halogen-free Exolit flame retardants for gel coatings and formulations within the composite itself, often performing at lower dosage than comparable solutions. They can be used for demanding requirements for heat release, smoke density, smoke toxicity and spread of flame.
At The Composites & Advanced Materials Expo - CAMX 2014 - in Florida, USA, Clariant will give particular focus to the transportation industry to reinforce these benefits. Clariant is featuring advanced Exolit flame retardants for epoxy and unsaturated polyester resins, as well as engineering plastics. Exolit support composites in achieving the segment’s high flammability requirements of low Fire, Smoke, and Toxicity (FST) numbers, mainly focused on ISO 5658-2, ISO 5659-2 and ISO 5660-1.
Furthermore, Exolit halogen-free systems can be used for composite applications which have to fulfil the requirements of the recent European standard for the railway sector - EN 45545 Part 2. For example, halogen free systems featuring intumescent formulations based on Exolit APP are proven to obtain low smoke density numbers (DS4) and smoke toxicity numbers (CIT) for thermoset composites.
"Modern applications pose an increasingly technical challenge to composite manufacturers. Combining halogen-free, an advanced health and environmental profile, efficient dosage, and excellent flammability performance, Exolit flame retardants support manufacturers by making a significant contribution to sustainability in the industry," comments Frank Osterod, Technical Manager Thermoset Applications, Clariant.
