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Economic Grade of FP 2100JC has a lower cost. Does its flame retardant performance decrease as a result? What scenarios is it suitable for?
Although the cost of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is lower, its flame retardant performance does not decrease significantly. Instead, it is optimized within a specific range and is suitable for cost-sensitive scenarios with moderate flame retardant requirements. Its cost reduction is mainly due to the adjustment of raw material selection and production process. For example, industrial-grade by-product phosphorus raw materials are used for purification instead of high-purity raw materials. At the same time, some refining processes are simplified, which reduces production costs by about 15-20%. However, by accurately controlling key indicators, the core flame retardant performance is ensured to meet the standards.
In terms of flame retardant performance, the oxygen index of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is only 0.5-1 units lower than that of the original FP 2100JC. When 20% is added to polyethylene, the oxygen index can reach 28-29, which is slightly lower than the 29-30 of the original product, but still meets the flame retardant requirements of most general plastics. In the vertical burning test, on a 1.6mm thick polypropylene sheet, it can reach V-0 level, and the afterburning time is 1-2 seconds longer than the original product, without affecting the overall flame retardant effect.
It has a wide range of application scenarios, such as agricultural polyethylene film, which needs to have a certain flame retardancy to prevent field fires. Economic Grade of FP 2100JC can meet the requirements and has obvious cost advantages; polypropylene strapping tape for construction, after adding, the flame retardant level can reach V-1, and there is no need to pursue a higher level. Choosing this economic grade product can reduce engineering costs; there are also household plastic trash cans, storage boxes, etc., which do not require extreme flame retardant performance. Economic Grade of FP 2100JC can provide reliable flame retardant protection at a lower cost.
However, it should be noted that in scenarios with strict requirements for flame retardancy, such as automotive interior parts (must pass UL94 V-0 level and have extremely low heat release rate), the original FP 2100JC must still be selected. Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is difficult to meet such high-end requirements, so its applicable scenarios need to be comprehensively considered based on flame retardancy requirements and cost budget.
What is the impact of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC on equipment wear and energy consumption during processing, and how to optimize it?
During the processing of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC, due to the difference in its own physical properties and the original product, the impact on equipment wear and energy consumption is also different, and targeted optimization is required. In terms of equipment wear, the hardness of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC particles is slightly higher than that of the original product, about 2.8Hv (original product 2.5Hv), and the wear on the screw and barrel is slightly greater during extrusion processing. Data from a factory showed that after 300 hours of continuous processing of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC, the screw wear was 0.02mm more than the original product, and long-term use may shorten the life of the equipment.
To reduce wear, the extruder screw can be nitrided to increase the surface hardness, or a bimetallic barrel can be used to enhance wear resistance; at the same time, the processing temperature should be controlled within an appropriate range to avoid excessively low temperature causing increased material viscosity and increased wear. In terms of energy consumption, the melt index of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is slightly lower, and a slightly higher shear force is required during processing, resulting in an increase in extruder motor energy consumption of about 3-5%. The screw combination can be adjusted to increase the number of kneading blocks, enhance the plasticizing effect, and achieve uniform mixing of materials at a lower speed, thereby reducing energy consumption. In a case, the increase in energy consumption was controlled within 2% by optimizing the screw combination.
In addition, the moisture content of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is slightly wider (≤0.2%), but it still needs to be dried before processing, and the drying time is 10-15 minutes longer than the original product. If the drying equipment is inefficient, it will increase energy consumption. A hot air circulation dryer can be used to improve wind speed and temperature uniformity, shorten drying time, and reduce energy consumption. For injection molding, the mold temperature needs to be 5-10℃ higher than the original product to ensure smooth mold filling, which will slightly increase the mold heating energy consumption. The mold insulation layer can be added to reduce heat loss and optimize energy consumption performance.
In general, through equipment modification (enhanced wear resistance), process adjustment (optimization of screw combination, drying parameters) and energy-saving measures (addition of insulation layer), the equipment wear and energy consumption increase during the processing of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC can be controlled within a reasonable range, giving full play to its cost advantage.
When Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is used in combination with other flame retardants, what is the synergistic effect and what issues need to be paid attention to?
When Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is used in combination with other flame retardants, the synergistic effect varies depending on the compounding object. It is necessary to master the matching rules and avoid potential problems. When compounded with magnesium hydroxide, the two form a phosphorus-magnesium synergistic system. When 10% Economic Grade of FP 2100JC and 30% magnesium hydroxide are added to polypropylene, the oxygen index can reach 32, which is significantly higher than using any flame retardant alone (28 and 26 respectively). The carbon layer structure is denser. This is because the phosphorus component promotes the formation of the carbon layer, and magnesium hydroxide decomposes under heat to absorb heat and cool down. The two complement each other.
When compounded with intumescent flame retardants (such as ammonium polyphosphate), it performs well in ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). When 8% Economic Grade of FP 2100JC and 12% ammonium polyphosphate are added, the vertical combustion level rises from V-1 when used alone to V-0, and the smoke emission decreases by 20%. Because the decomposition products of the two interact with each other, the intumescent carbon layer is thicker and the heat insulation and oxygen isolation effect is better.
However, attention should be paid to proportion control when compounding. When compounded with magnesium hydroxide, the proportion of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC should not exceed 20% (in the total amount), otherwise the carbon layer will be brittle due to excessive phosphorus components, affecting the flame retardant effect; when compounded with ammonium polyphosphate, the vinyl acetate content in EVA needs to be controlled to ≥18%, otherwise the compatibility is poor and frosting is prone to occur.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the compatibility with other additives. For example, when compounding with antioxidant 1010, the addition amount needs to be controlled. Excessive addition will inhibit the decomposition of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC and reduce the flame retardant performance; when compounding with lubricant zinc stearate, when the ratio exceeds 1:5 (flame retardant: lubricant), it will affect the dispersion of the flame retardant, and it is necessary to improve the compatibility through premixing.
Before compounding, it is recommended to conduct a small test to test the flame retardant performance, mechanical properties and processing stability, and determine the best ratio and process to exert synergistic effects and avoid adverse effects.
Will the flame retardant effect of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC decay over time after long-term use? How to evaluate it?
After long-term use, the flame retardant effect of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC may decay over time. The degree of decay is related to the use environment and the type of plastic, and scientific evaluation is required. Under natural aging conditions, affected by factors such as light, temperature, and humidity, the flame retardant will slowly decompose or migrate, resulting in a decrease in performance. After 12 months of exposure to the sun, the sampling test of polyethylene pipes used outdoors (added with Economic Grade of FP 2100JC) showed that the oxygen index dropped from the initial 28 to 26.5, and the vertical combustion level dropped from V-0 to V-1, because ultraviolet rays accelerated the oxidative decomposition of the flame retardant.
In high temperature environments, such as polypropylene parts near the engine compartment of a car (at 60-80℃ for a long time), Economic Grade of FP 2100JC will slowly volatilize. In a test, the flame retardant content decreased by 5% after 1500 hours, resulting in a decrease in flame retardant effect and an extension of the afterburning time by 3 seconds. In plastic storage boxes used in a normal temperature and dry environment, the flame retardant performance was tested after 5 years, and the attenuation was only 1.2%, which had little impact.
There are many ways to evaluate the attenuation degree: first, regularly sample and test the oxygen index and vertical combustion level, and compare them with the initial data; second, use infrared spectroscopy to detect the change in the intensity of the characteristic peak of the flame retardant and judge its content change; third, measure the precipitate on the plastic surface. If the precipitate exceeds 0.1%, it means that the migration is obvious and the flame retardant effect may be attenuated.
What is the difference between the Economic Grade of FP 2100JC and the original product in terms of environmental performance, and how to meet the requirements of environmental regulations?
Compared with the original FP 2100JC, the Economic Grade of FP 2100JC has certain differences in environmental performance, but it can still meet most environmental regulations through process optimization. In terms of heavy metal content, the content of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium in Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is slightly higher than that of the original product due to different raw material sources. The lead content of the original product is ≤10ppm, while the lead content of the economic grade product is controlled at ≤15ppm. Although there is a difference, it is still lower than the limit of 100ppm in the EU RoHS Directive and can be used in products such as electronic and electrical housings.
In terms of volatile organic compound (VOC) emission, Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is slightly higher. During the processing of polypropylene products, the VOC emission is 8-10% more than the original product. This is because the devolatilization process is simplified in the production process. However, by adding a vacuum devolatilization step during processing, the VOC emission can be reduced to a level equivalent to the original product, meeting the VOC limit requirements in interior decoration materials (such as ≤0.5mg/m³ in the EU CE certification).
Regarding biodegradability, both are difficult to degrade, but the degradation rate of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is 2-3% higher than that of the original product under a specific microbial environment. Although the difference is small, it shows its optimization in environmental protection details. In terms of compliance with EU REACH regulations, Economic Grade of FP 2100JC has completed SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) testing and no restricted substances have been detected, so it can be used for plastic products exported to the EU.
For the four new phthalate restrictions added by RoHS 2.0, the content of Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is less than 0.1%, which meets the requirements. In terms of waste disposal after use, like the original product, it is necessary to avoid random discarding and send it to a professional recycling agency for harmless treatment. The amount of toxic gas generated during incineration is similar to that of the original product. By equipping it with an efficient tail gas treatment device, it can meet environmental emission standards.
In summary, although the Economic Grade of FP 2100JC is slightly inferior to the original product in some environmental indicators, it can meet mainstream environmental regulations through targeted treatment and control and is suitable for scenarios with medium environmental requirements.