Recent studies on the use of zinc borate as a flame retardant and smoke suppressant in PVC

Abstract

AbstractBy the Oxygen Index test, zinc borate alone is an effective flame retardant in rigid PVC. In flexible PVC formulations containing 50 phr of dioctyl phthalate as the plasticizer, zinc borate in combination with antimony oxide displays a synergistic effect at a total loading of more than 10 phr (1‐to‐1 ratio). In the presence of 30 phr of alumina trihydrate, this synergism increases significantly at a total loading as low as 5 phr. Zinc borate also shows strong synergism with alumina trihydrate. Zinc borate acts as a smoke suppressant in plasticized PVC. With alumina trihydrate, a strong smoke‐reducing synergism is created. Zinc borate in a flexible PVC formulation markedly increases the amount of char formed, whereas the addition of antimony oxide, a vapor phase flame retardant, has little effect on char formation. Zinc borate is a good afterglow suppressant. Volatilized zinc derived from the zinc borate probably contributes to flame retardancy but not to smoke suppression. Zinc compounds can alter the pyrolysis chemistry by catalyzing dehydrohalogenation and promoting crosslinking, resulting in increased char formation and a decrease in both smoke production and flaming combustion.