Flame Retardant Low Smoke Masterbatch

A flame retardant masterbatch is used to slow or stop the spread of fire. In the event of fire, effective flame retardation is a necessity in many applications using films, sheets or mouldings. To understand how flame retardants work, it is necessary to understand how materials burn. When we see the flame of a burning object, we are actually seeing its thermal combustion. In complete combustion, H2O and CO2 are produced along with other specific gases.

The way the flame retardant masterbatch interferes in the burning of a polymer depends on the type of the masterbatch being used and the plastic in question. Flame retardant masterbatch is needed in plastics processing to comply with National and International flammability regulations such as EN and UL 94. Brominated flame retardants are the most effective in terms of performance and costs. Their relatively low addition rate means that the properties of the polymers are less adversely affected.