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What are the main ingredients of PE Flame Retardant Masterbatch?
PE flame retardant masterbatch is made of polyethylene (PE for short) as the matrix, accompanied by various flame retardants and additives, and extruded into granules by high temperature mixing. The reason why it is made is that polyethylene is flammable, melts in case of flame, and is difficult to self-extinguish. It is used in the fields of cables and construction, and it needs to be given flame retardancy. The main components can be divided into three categories: first, the polymer matrix, that is, polyethylene itself, to carry various additives to maintain the mechanics and processing properties of the material; second, the flame retardant, which is the core active component of the masterbatch, commonly There are bromine, phosphorus, nitrogen, inorganic hydroxides, etc. Bromine-based ones such as decabromodiphenylethane, phosphorus-based ones such as ammonium polyphosphate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and other inorganic ones, which release water in case of heat, absorb heat and cool down, dilute combustible gases, and block oxygen sources; third, additives, which are diverse, used to help disperse flame retardants, or supplemented by stability, lubrication, and promotion of processing; which also have the power of toughening, anti-oxygen, anti-dripping, and improving compatibility.
The three coexist, and the primary and secondary are different. The proportion of polyethylene often accounts for more than 50% of the mass of the masterbatch; the proportion of flame retardants varies with the system used, or up to 30%, or up to 70%, depending on the end point of the flame retardant grade requirements and the feasibility of the process. Although the additives are used very little, their effect cannot be ignored. It is based on PE flame retardant masterbatch, which is actually based on polyethylene carrier, supplemented by high-efficiency flame retardants, and if the additives are outlined, the components can be uniformly integrated and give full play to their strengths. However, the allocation ratio needs to weigh the performance of the material machine and the need for flame retardancy. In summary, the main components of PE flame retardant masterbatch, solid polyethylene, high-efficiency flame retardants and necessary additives are in harmony, and they are suitable for end point use.
What processing techniques are suitable for PE Flame Retardant Masterbatch?
The flame retardant masterbatch of polyethylene is mild in nature and tough in quality, and is widely used in a variety of processing techniques. In most plastics industries, it is preferred to melt at high temperature and mix evenly, so that the flame retardant molecules and polyethylene resin are integrated. It can be used by processes such as extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, and rotary molding. The reason lies in the fact that polyethylene is the base of the quality, and the flame retardant is mixed in the masterbatch shape. Relying on the process temperature and mechanical shear force, the flame retardant performance of the finished product is achieved.
Extrusion process, commonly used in the production of cable sheathing, film, sheet, etc. During operation, polyethylene and flame retardant masterbatch are put into the hopper in proportion, cut and mixed with the screw, and the pulp end is exported to the mold to form, and the required products are obtained. The fire safety performance is excellent. The injection molding process is mostly used for household appliances, components, etc. The method is that the material particles are put into the cavity, the melt is injected into the mold, and the cold is formed, and the finished product is evenly flame retardant. The blow molding process is especially better than the hollow products, such as plastic buckets, bottles, etc. Through heating, blowing and cooling, the products can all meet the flame retardant requirements.
Rotary molding is suitable for large-scale special-shaped products, such as barrel grooves, containers, etc. The flame retardant masterbatch is mixed with polyethylene, rotated and heated by the mold, and the flame retardant performance is evenly distributed when fully loaded. In addition, in some specific requirements such as foaming process and casting process, the flame retardant masterbatch can also be used to improve its fire resistance. Or if the fiber forming and wire drawing process, considering the balance between its mechanics and flame retardancy, can also be added, only need to weigh the ratio and process parameters.
However, the application of flame retardant masterbatch must take into account its dispersion and compatibility to avoid the formation of spots on the surface of the product or affect the performance due to uneven masterbatch. It is appropriate to choose a flame retardant masterbatch with good quality and uniform particle size, and process it at an appropriate temperature and shearing speed to demonstrate the beauty of its process and the wonderful effect of the product. In short, PE flame retardant masterbatch has a wide range of applications, but the process optimization can make it a top grade.
Does PE Flame Retardant Masterbatch Affect the Mechanical Properties of Products?
PE flame retardant masterbatch is made of polyethylene as a carrier, with both flame retardant additives and dispersion aids, mixed and granulated. When used in products, the flame resistance characteristics are in polyethylene, and its impact on mechanical properties cannot be ignored. Or the flame retardant masterbatch is only a material, but in essence, the interaction between various flame retardant components and the matrix can cause changes in mechanical properties.
First of all, its microstructure, flame retardants are mostly inorganic powders or organic compounds, with different particle sizes and different surface properties. When added to the polymer matrix, if the dispersion is uneven, it often forms clusters and forms a source of stress concentration. This results in a decrease in mechanical properties, which is manifested as a decrease in tensile strength and elongation at break; especially those with high additives. In addition, the interfacial compatibility between flame retardants and polyethylene is not good, which is easy to cause interfacial peeling, material toughness is weakened, and impact resistance is also reduced. If a suitable compatible agent is selected, although it can slightly increase the dispersion, it cannot completely avoid its negative effects.
Re-discussion of the chemical properties of flame retardant components. Some flame retardant masterbatches are mainly halogen-based, which releases gas in case of fire, causing changes in the microscopic phase structure. These substances can occasionally migrate to the surface of the product, causing stickiness, cracking, etc., so the long-term service performance of the product is worrying. Although aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and other inorganic flame retardants are environmentally friendly and odorless, their particles are doped too much, which hinders the movement between polymer chains; the loss of matrix toughness is inevitable.
However, flame retardant masterbatches are also beneficial. Products are not easy to burn in case of high temperature fire sources, and can prevent disasters and protect safety. If properly selected during design, control the amount of addition, strengthen dispersion, use nanotechnology or surface modification measures, or have to take into account performance and safety, it will not greatly damage the mechanical properties.
In summary, PE flame retardant masterbatch does have a negative impact on the mechanical properties while improving the fire resistance of products, especially the large proportion of addition. Only by rationally adjusting the formula and introducing suitable auxiliary materials can we reduce its harm, maintain the excellent performance of the product, and make it practical without losing its essential toughness and firmness.
What is the general addition ratio of PE Flame Retardant Masterbatch?
Polyethylene flame retardant masterbatch is often used in the flame retardant modification of plastic products. The proportion of addition depends on the requirements of flame retardant effect and product performance requirements. The amount of addition usually used is about 3% to 10%. If a higher flame retardant grade is required, such as UL94 V-0 grade, the amount of masterbatch must be increased, or supplemented with a synergist to enhance the flame retardant performance. However, too much input of the masterbatch can also easily cause the performance of the product to decline, and the mechanical strength and processing fluidity will be impaired. When blending, the craftsman should weigh the balance between flame retardant and physical properties and consider the balance.
The flame retardant masterbatch contains phosphorus, bromine, nitrogen or inorganic flame retardants, and the amount of addition varies according to the system used. The bromine series is mostly around 5%, and the phosphorus and nitrogen series can be slightly increased or decreased depending on the use of the product. However, the activity of each masterbatch and the compatibility of the carrier resin are different, so it should be quantified according to the manufacturer's suggestion or actual experiment. If it is used in extrusion and injection molding, special attention should be paid to the control of temperature to prevent the decomposition and volatilization of the flame retardant components, resulting in the weakening of the flame retardant effect. Also pay attention to its impact on the color and transparency of the product. Some flame retardant masterbatches can easily make the product yellow or reduce the light transmittance.
In the specific operation, first mix the masterbatch and the raw materials evenly to ensure sufficient dispersion. If the ratio is too small, the flame retardant effect will not be obvious; if the dosage is too large, the cost will increase and some properties of the Before and after production, try to test the flame retardant performance of the product by oxygen index method and vertical combustion method. In the field of modern engineering plastics, most of them aim at cost saving and performance optimization, so the addition of masterbatch should strive for excellence and cannot be generalized.
To sum up, the addition ratio of polyethylene flame retardant masterbatch is probably 3% to 10%. The actual dosage needs to be adjusted according to the specific formula, product technical parameters and flame retardant grade requirements. Only by discerning the situation can we obtain the good flame retardant and excellent performance of the product.
Can PE Flame Retardant Masterbatch pass ROHS and other environmental certifications?
Polyethylene (PE) flame retardant masterbatch is based on polymer, with special flame retardants and appropriate additives, extruded and granulated at high temperature. Its basic use is to enhance the flame retardancy of polyethylene products, which are widely used in wire and cable, building materials, automotive parts and many other fields. However, the world is increasingly focusing on environmental protection and safety. The European Union is particularly headed by the ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive to restrict the use of harmful substances to maintain human health and ecological safety.
The ten harmful elements specified in the ROHS certification are lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and a variety of brominated flame retardants such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). If the flame retardants used in flame retardant masterbatch use heavy metals such as bromine and cadmium and harmful organic bromides, it will be difficult to pass the ROHS test. Nowadays, flame retardant technology has made progress, and more halogen-free and non-toxic flame retardants have been replaced by phosphorus-based, nitrogen-based and inorganic hydroxides. These materials have mild physical and chemical properties and do not contain high-risk banned elements listed in the European Union. If the materials are selected well and the production is clean, they can successfully pass the inspection of ROHS and relevant environmental protection regulations in principle.
When preparing the masterbatch, the production process needs to be strictly controlled to prevent cross-contamination. The original and auxiliary materials should have complete traceability and test reports to prove that they are harmless. The masterbatch obtained from production can be entrusted to a third-party authoritative testing agency to analyze the content of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, bromine and other substances according to EN62321 and other testing standards. Only those who pass the test and have a formal compliance report can prove that they have passed the ROHS certification.
Although the flame retardant masterbatch itself can be designed to meet the standards, the final applied products, if the blending of other ingredients is not controlled, may still have trace impurities, increasing the risk of non-compliance. Only with strict management of the whole process and traceability can we ensure that the output products can be circulated in international markets such as the European Union in accordance with the ROHS regulations.
To sum up, if the PE flame retardant masterbatch chooses a halogen-free environmentally friendly flame retardant system, the manufacturing process is exquisite, the material source is clear and strictly controlled, and it has been tested by an authoritative organization in accordance with the ROHS directive, and it will pass the relevant environmental protection certification without any hindrance. However, this requires enterprises to adhere to strict standards in R & D, production and testing, which can be achieved with caution.