Flame Retardancy Mastery: Selection, Testing, and Enhancement

Characterize the behavior of Flame Retardants by understanding quantitative analysis (LOI, UL 94...) for traditional & alternative FRs and get an insight into new/emerging techniques.

Richard Hull will help you choose the right characterization method (Cone Calorimeter, TGA, Char & Residue Analysis...) for different flame retardant technologies. Experimental parameters (size of sample, T°C…) will be discussed for finer data interpretation.

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Quantitative analysis of the burning process

  • Standard flammability tests
  • UL 94; LOI
  • Small flame ignitability test (ISO 11925)
  • Cone calorimetry
• Module 02:

  How to get more data from methods for studying thermal decomposition of polymers?

  • Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
  • TGA coupled with analytical techniques such as FTIR
  • Pyrolysis-GCMS
  • Analysis of condensed phase processes
  • Char & residue analysis
• Module 03:

  Emerging techniques

  • Microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC)
  • Physical property measurements
  • Predictions of fire behavior using pyrolysis models
• Module 04:

  Interpretation of Thermal Decomposition Data

  • Predictions based on chemical decomposition
  • Additives, synergistic & antagonistic relationships between different components in a mixture
  • Chemical analysis of chars and residues
• Module 05:

  Conclusion & References

Get a grip over your flame-retardant selection strategies by learning about halogen-free alternatives (phosphorus, silicates...) their chemistries & problems with currently available commercial technologies to incorporate for your polymer, adhesives, sealants and coatings applications.

T Richard Hull will help you understand the impact of FR (loading %, toxicity level...) on different polymers and the environment. He will also lay focus on polymer decomposition & FR activity, gas phase flame retardants, cone calorimetry, intumescence and more.

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Flame retardants in action

  • Drivers in flame retardants development
  • Additive vs reactive FRs
  • Polymer decomposition chemistries & FR activity
  • Specialist applications- Adhesives, Sealants, Coatings
• Module 02:

  Gas phase flame retardants

  • Halogen FR action & common brominated FRs
  • Requirements of Gas Phase flame retardants
  • Phosphorus, Nitrogen and sulphur as gas phase FRs
• Module 03:

  Cone calorimetry

• Module 04:

  Flame retardant mechanisms

  • Charring/non-charring polymers
  • Additives to stabilize char
• Module 05:

  Intumescence

  • Inorganic phosphates
  • Range of components for intumescents
• Module 06:

  Nanofillers & polymer nanocomposites

  • Case study – intumescent PLA with nanoclay
  • Layer-by-layer assembly
• Module 07:

  Phosphorus-based chemistries

  • Modes of FR action
  • Case study – phosphorus comonomers in epoxy resins
• Module 08:

  Other chemistries including silicates and boron
  

Pre-select more efficiently flame retardants that can enable you to pass regulatory tests with an improved use of cone calorimeter to assess flammability performance.

Parameters affecting cone calorimeter results & interpretation of heat release curves will be discussed using real-life cases. It will lead to a reliable evaluation of material behavior under various heating conditions.

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Understand the concept of FR Testing

  • Flammability, ignitability, heat release and flame spread
  • Simple test methods – Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) and UL-94
  • Comparison between LOI & UL-94
• Module 02:

  Learn Core Fundamentals of The Cone Calorimeter

  • Heat of Combustion and depletion calorimetry
  • How to set up an experiment using Cone Calorimeter?
  • Basic & derived flammability parameters from cone calorimetry (TTI, HRR, pHRR, THR, EHC, FIGRA, SMOGRA etc)
  • Uses of cone calorimeter data
• Module 03:

  Interpret the shape of the heat release curves

• Module 04:

  Effect of different parameters on the shape of predicted HRR curves

  • Can we isolate the effects of additives?
  • Corrections for incomplete combustion
• Module 05:

  Behavior of different materials and fire retardants using real life case studies

  • LSZH cable compound
  • PEEK
  • Intumescent polyethylene
  • PAN and FR copolymers
  • Flexible PU foam with melamine
• Module 06:

  Limitations and problems of cone calorimetry