Zinc Borate – Extensively Used Fire Retardant and Smoke Suppressant

Zinc borate (or Zinc Salt, Boron Zinc Oxide, Firebrake ZB or Boric Acid), a non-halogen flame retardant, accredited by Environmental Protection Agency is an inorganic and low toxicity amalgam. It is a vital additive to help achieve brilliant resistance in rubber products. It is a free-flowing white powder, which dissolves easily and swiftly. This chemical can be added to any flame retardant mechanism and it will boost test results with minimum effect on the compound properties.

Moreover, this flame retardant chemical can create a glassy singe at high temperatures that averts flame propagation. It aids in compounding fire-resistant, halogen-free rubber, which emits minimum acidic smoke. It also produces water of hydration identical to ATH. Zinc salt is a synergist with halogenated fire retardants, ATH and antimony oxide.

Applications:
Extensively Used in Flexible PVC:
This flame retardant or Zinc salt is largely utilized in flexible PVC as a partial substitute for antimony oxide like wires and cables, conveyor belts, tenting materials, carpet backing, wall coverings, auto upholstery, roofing membranes and carpet backing. Opposed to antimony trioxide, this chemical has a refractive index identical to that of majority of polymer systems that allows the utilization of lower pigment loading.

Extensively Utilized as Fire Retardant in Elastomers:
Zinc salt is highly utilized as flame retardant and smoke suppressant for applications like roofing membranes, foamed insulation products, wire and cables, conveyer belting and flooring materials. Zinc salt is a flame retardant synergist of halogen sources like tetrabromobisphenol-A, chlorinated resins and decabromodiphenyl oxide. Depending on the form of halogen source being used, Zinc borate is used widely as a flame retardant in epoxies for applications, like intumescent coatings, encapsulation of electrical components and glass-reinforced laminates.

Utilized as Fire-Retardant in Electric Parts, Polyolefin Cables and Wires:
In halogen-comprising systems, Zinc salt is utilized together with antimony oxide, whereas in halogen-free systems, it is generally utilized together with red phosphorous, alumina trihydrate or magnesium hydroxide. It must be noted that the utilization of Zinc salt can improve elongation properties of polyolefins as well.

Offers Enhanced Resistance against Electrical Degradation Processes:
The combination of zinc plus borate moieties renders inimitable functionalities. In addition, the chemical compound performs as synergists along with brominated fire retardants to tailor FR characteristics and CTI. This compound can be utilized in regrinding procedures without any sort of reduction in the original CTI values as well.

Advantages:
The synergy with antimony oxide facilitates half as much antimony oxide to be utilized in order to achieve comparable results. It can substitute antimony oxide as a synergist in rubber and plastics to boost the activity of primary fire retardants by stepwise producing the radicals. As it is becoming increasing apparent that smoke kills as many people as actual fire can, the need for low smoke fire retardant is becoming imperative.

Zinc borate/Zinc salt is a strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal additive. 2% of it in a compound can render a distinct decrease in mold growth. For more details please logon to http://www.royceintl.com/

Epoxy Resins at Different Viscosities

In the words of Wikipedia, “Epoxy, also known as polyepoxide, is a thermosetting polymer formed from the reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener". Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced plastic materials and general purpose adhesives.” Epoxy is a copolymer comprised of two different types of chemical. Having an epoxide group at either end, it is also referred to as the “hardner.” Epoxy resins are generally formed by the polymerization process that is also referred to as curing.

It was quite common for people to use these resins in the older days for their boat making purposes. These resins not only help in forming a powerful waterproof barrier but also helped in increasing the strength when formulated properly. Today, these resins find their uses in different types of industries. Likewise, these resins can have various uses depending on their chemical properties, especially on the viscosity. In the section below, we have discussed the uses of these resins at different viscosity (with the temperature being maintained constant i.e. at 25 degrees). It needs to be understood that these epoxy resins can be formulated depending on the curing and changes in the viscosity.

1. At viscosity of 400cps to 450cps – This cured resin is formed by reaction between Bis-A Epoxy Resin and Polyglycol di-epoxide. This results in the increase of various properties such as flexibility and that of elongation.
2. At viscosity of 900cps to 1100cps – At this viscosity the resin has increased filler loading. It also leads to better electrical and physical properties. These resins find their applications in places where a resin with good solvent resistance is required to provide resistance.
3. At viscosity of 7500cps to 9000cps – This resin has its application in marine world, flooring and I the industry of civil engineering. The low viscosity of this resin makes it ideal for maintenance.
4. At viscosity of 1500cps to 1800cps – This low viscosity resin has it uses in various places such as high solid coatings, tank linings, civil engineering and in decoupage.
5. At viscosity of 4000cps to 6000cps – This is a type of halogen liquid epoxy due to its low viscosity. It is due to this that they are used in various electrical applications.
6. At viscosity of 10000cps to 16000cps – This is in liquid form and is a standard type of epoxy used in laminations, coats and other adhesive applications.

Epoxy resins are a kind of versatile chemical, which has its uses in variety of fields and application under different viscosities. To know more visit http://www.royceintl.com.

The Basics of Zinc Borate

Zinc Borate, a non-halogen flame retardant, approved by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), is a low toxicity and inorganic amalgam. The most applauded attribute of this flame retardant and smoke suppressant chemical is its non-toxic, stability with high heat and low water solubility.

This chemical has various closely related synonyms as well or in other words it has few other chemical names such as Boric Acid, Zinc Salt, Hydrate, Boron Zinc Oxide, Hydrate and Firebrake ZB. This agent is a composite of elements like Boron, Oxygen and Zinc and the chemical formula that represents its chemistry is 2 ZNO.3 B2O3.3.5H2O (chemical formula)

Its applications -Zinc Borate is used for various purposes, such as:

• It is primary used for cellulose fibers, textiles, paints, papers, pigments, rubbers and adhesives as well.
• The chemical is competent of replacing antimony trioxide as a synergist in both systems whether they are halogen based or halogen free.
• The appropriate combination of alumina, red phosphorus, trihydrate or magnesium bydroxide is generally used, when Zinc Borate is to be used in halogen free systems.
• Most of us don’t know that this agent is an anti-dripping and char-promoting one and in all circumstance, it hold back the adhesives of afterglows.
• The product is also used as a fire retardant in PVC, polyolefins, elastomers, polyamides, and epoxy resins.
• It holds back arcing and tracking, when used in electrical insulators.
• It is also used in the manufacturing of paper, floor leather, fiber fabric or decorative boards.
• As this chemical is an agent that retards, delays or hinders, it is also used in vinyl chloride latex formulations.
• It is also used as epoxy resins while bonding fiberglass insulation to aluminum foil.

Health hazards -
In case of any accidental exposure with this chemical, one must see a doctor immediately in case -

• One complaints about irritation in eyes or nose or throat (E.N.T)
• If one has its contact with eyes, do not close eyelids and use plenty of water
• In case one has inhaled it by mistake, breathing difficulty or coughing will be the result and if breathing is stopped; use artificial respiration or give oxygen.
• If swallowed, will results in nausea, queasiness and vomiting. In this kind of situation, remove infected clothes and shoes and use plenty of water as flushing the affected area.
  

Handling precautions -
The chemical demands careful handling, so one must use security goggles, protective gloves and finally yet importantly, face shield, while handling Zinc Borate.