Fireproof, an ITRI innovation service, has announced new developments in fire-retardant polymer technologies for automotive applications.
The UK-based company says there is an increasing need for more effective flame-retardants for use in automotive interior materials, particularly since fire regulations in this sector are likely to become more stringent in the years ahead.
Dr. Paul Cusack, Fire and Polymers Manager at Fireproof, was recently invited to present a paper on this new research at the International Polymer Technology Conference and Exhibition 2013 (IPTCE’13) in Malaysia.
“Although the automotive sector is the largest consumer of plastics in the transportation market, fire safety requirements are generally less severe in this sector than in other transportation areas. However, fire fatalities and serious injuries do represent significant numbers;” commented Dr. Cusack.
“At Fireproof, we have recently developed non-toxic tin fire-retardant systems, primarily based on proprietary nano-particulate and coating technologies. These halogen-free additives offer considerable potential in interior foams and fabrics, wires and cables, and other plastic components found in motor vehicles.”
Fireproof carries out a range of small-scale fire tests in its laboratories based at the offices of ITRI, in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. This fire-testing laboratory can offer fire retardant product formulation and reformulation, polymer processing and small-scale materials testing.