MOST INNOVATIVE POLYMER MATERIALS FOR YOUR PRODUCTS
ABOUT
Artigiano & Co aims to be a leading company in the research and manufacturing of innovative polymeric materials, Flame Retardant compounds and masterbatches. Our highly experienced R&D and manufacturing team balances the material flame retardant & mechanical properties, and matches the regulatory requirements for various applications and markets.
We all know that many plastics are flammable, therefore we have to take some measures for increasing their fire safety.
Various types of flame retardants provide compatible protection for buildings, E&E equipment, and for polymeric materials that are used in airplanes, buses, trains and ships.
Flame retardant products are either organic and inorganic chemicals based on halogen, phosphorous, nitrogen and mineral hydrates, that are added to plastic materials for reducing the risk of fire.
BASE MATERIALS
AT ARTIGIANO & CO THE H IGHE ST STANDARDS
ARE MATCHE D AT EACH STAGE WITH G LOBAL
REQUIREMENT, SPECIAL CARE IS TAKEN TO:
• Match the standard with international requirement.
• Make the dispersion perfectly suitable to the end use.
• Maintain batch to batch consistency and quality.
• Prompt service to customers for matching.
As polymers consist of long chain hydrocarbons, unmodified, most thermoplastic materials are flammable and will burn readily given sufficient heat energy. Fires from plastics can be devastating.
Flame retardant additives can be added to a polymer to improve its fire resistance properties by increasing the materials ignition temperature, reducing flame propagation speeds and reducing smoke emissions. Flame retardant materials are obligatory in a vast range of applications, from building and construction products, household and electrical appliances, automotive and aeronautical components, cabling materials and furnishings.
Mineral Reinforcement/Fillers
improve stiffness,
surface hardness, cost reduction
UV Stabilizers
interfere with light-induced
degradation, weathering
Coupling Agents
impart compatibility between
polymer & additives
Impact Modifiers
enhance toughness of material
to impact
Dyes and Pigments
color & appearance
Blowing Agents
production of foams,
vvweight reduction
Antistats/Conductives
prevent electrostatic discharge,
improve conductivity
Optical Brighteners
enhance appearance,
off-set yellow color
Antioxidants & stabilizers
delay/prevent oxidation during
processing / application
Lubricants
improvement in processing,
release properties
Antimicrobials
prevent microbiological attack
and property degradation
Flame Retardants
prevent ignition & flame spread,
prolong escape time
FLAME RETARDANT SELECTION CRITERIA:
SOME CONSIDERATIONS
Efficiency/Cost
Ease of Compounding
Adequate Thermal Stability
Corrosivity Issues
Physical Properties
Appearance
Compatibility (Migration?)
Environment/Toxicity
UV Stability/Weathering
Electrical Properties
Combustion Products
(corrosives, toxics, smoke)
CONCERNS ABOUT FLAME RETARDANTS
Findings of cer tain brominated flame
retardants in the environment, biota, humans
Compasome concern about certain phosphate
esters in indoor airtibility (Migration?)
Source of endocrine disruption
FR Persistence, Bioaccumulation, Toxicity (PBT)
Risk assessments, scientific s tudies
for materials of concern
CONCLUSION:
• Plastics are widely used in our society. The global consumption of plastic materials is increasing. New materials and applications are being developed.
• It is necessary to add FRs to some plastics (dependent on application).
• Flame retardant consumption is growing globally due to increased standard of living and fire safety requirements.
• There is a trend towards more environmentally compatible FRs, driven by NGOs, OEMs and legislation like RoHS, REACH, & some U.S. state legislation.
• FR additives are beneficial to prevent ignition, flame spread & prolong
escape time.
SOPHISTICATED MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
Imbibing technical innovations and using the most sophisticated R&D machinery & equipment’s, Artigiano & Co provides and
continuously develop value added quality products to meet the ever changing needs of our clients & their customers
- Filter Index Tester (Labtech)
- Twin Screw Extruder (Lab Model)
- Tape Plant (Lab Model)
- DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry)
- STA/TGA (Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer)
- FTIR (Fourier Transformed Infra Red Spectroscopy)
- Fibre Spinning and Drawing (Lab Model)
- Viscometer for IV testing
- Flammability Rating Tester & Limiting Oxygen Index Tester
- Spectrophotometer for Colour matching
- Moisture Analyser
- Lab Model Blown Film Extruder
- Injection Molding machine
- Two Roll Mill for colour matching & product development
- UTM for Tensile Strength & Flexural Modulus
- Heat Deflection Tester (HDT)
- Izod Impact Tester
- Humidity Chamber
- Static Charge Meters
- Melt Flow Index Tester
- Density
- Carbon/Filler Content Tester
- Optical Density Meter
PRODUCTS
Additive Masterbatches
flame retardant, antimicrobial,
anti-aging, ani-fungal, UV Stabilizers,
Slip & Antiblock, Polymer Processing Aids,
Optical Brightner, Nucleating and Clarifying Agents, etc
Special Effect Masterbatches
Pearl, Metallic, Glitter, Fluorescent, Glow in Dark
White Masterbatches
Colour Masterbatches
Special Effect Masterbatches
Pearl, Metallic, Glitter, Fluorescent, Glow in Dark
Black Masterbatches
PROPERTIES
- Excellent performance in established FR tests including UL 94, and comparative tracking index (CTI)
- Low generation of toxic gases and black smoke during combustion
- Effective flame retardants in a variety of polymer systems
- Low effect on physical and mechanical properties
- Good thermal stability and low volatility
- Excellent hydrolytic stability for improved performance under high humidity conditions
- Improves flow characteristics with suitable lubricants
- Reduced plate out/deposit formation during extrusion and injection moulding processes
- Halogen-free, compliant with RoHS and WEEE
MARKET / END PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS
Transportation and automotive:
Typical dosages of flame retardants in polymers are in the range of 5% to 80%. Consequently, the flame retardant price has a significant impact on the cost of a flame-retarded polymer. There is no “one size fits all” flame retardant, because polymers and textiles have various requirements on their additives: temperature stability, being solid or liquid, viscosity, electrical properties, polarity, and miscibility are only a few properties which need to be matched between a suitable flame retardant and the polymer and its production process.
Intumescent flame retardants are an example of a typical mechanism of halogen-free flame retardants. The combustible material is separated from the fire or heat source by an insulating foam forming at the surface. Intumescent flame retardant systems can be applied to decrease flammability of thermoplastic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester- and epoxy resins.
Electric & Electronics:
International standards provide that the plastic materials used for these housings usually should meet high fire safety standards such as UL 94 V or similar flame retardant specification. In general, it is not possible to meet these requirements with the pure polymer resins. Therefore, flame retardants are added to the polymer compound. Halogen free phosphates based flame retardants are of growing importance in this electronic enclosures segment, because the electronics industry tends to move to more sustainable flame retardants.
Wire & Cable:
Essential for all cables applied in buildings and public spaces is their resistance to flame propagation, as this is the most important hazard originating from cables. Different standards and test regimes exist worldwide, but all of these tests have burning length and heat release criteria included.
Building and Construction:
Thermoplastic based Wood Plastic Composites also represent a recent class of materials that are increasingly used in B&C, allowing the combination of aesthetic properties of wood with the physical performance of plastics, while being largely based on recycled materials, thus meeting customer’s needs for products with a reduced environmental footprint.
Projects
News
CONTACT
ul. Łódzka 123b,
87-100 Toruń
+39 340 989 6339
contact@artigiano-and-co.com