European Coatings Show 2019

•••6••• Innovationen New ame retardants for wood and foams Swiss researchers have developed a non-toxic and colourless additive for protection against re Fire protection requirements are increasing worldwide – especial- ly in public buildings and vehicle construction. This means that more and more otherwise suita- ble materials such as wood can no longer be used in many buildings or means of transport and must be substituted by other products. The aim of the research project was therefore to develop a flame retardant that increases the fire resistance of such materials with- out impairing the positive proper- ties of the materials. Colourless, non-toxic additive The new flame retardant called AFA (Anti-Flame-Additive) meets these requirements: it is colour- less and can be mixed with wa- ter-based paints or UV protective coatings and can be used not only as a coating but also as an addi- tive in wood-based panels. In addition, it is free of bromine and boron and contains no halo- genated organic compounds. It produces no toxic vapours and de- velops its flame-retardant effect at concentrations as low as ten per cent. AFA is based on the sub- stance EDA-bis-TEPT developed by Empa, a flame retardant from the class of organophosphonates. It combines phosphorus and nitro- gen moieties in a single molecule, which has flame-retardant effects on cellulose. The newly developed additive has already demonstrat- ed its effectiveness in internal tests and has been protected by a patent application since 2018. Ap- plication tests are currently being carried out, for example the ad- dition of AFA to various commer- cially available building materials and paint systems is being tested. Approval procedure under way Initial tests with major wood- based panel manufacturers have been very positive. The same ap- plies to the world’s third largest manufacturer of HPL (High Pres- sure Laminates). After the AFA has been introduced into the cel- lulose during production, flaming of the material is reliably prevent- ed. In a further step, AFA will un- dergo the fire protection and ap- proval tests required for approval. Empa‘s research partner in this project is a Swiss company. As a producer of smooth and perfo- rated weather-resistant facade panels and balcony balustrades as well as decorative elements such as room dividers, stair railings or acoustic solutions for interiors, which are mainly based on wood- based materials, the internation- ally active company is directly af- fected by stricter fire protection guidelines. In Switzerland, for example, a new fire protection regulation was introduced in the building industry in 2015. Even internationally, the demands on fire protection are constantly in- creasing. At the same time, en- vironmental guidelines are be- ing tightened, which is gradually pushing conventional fire protec- tion agents out of the market. As a result of these develop- ments, the company is constantly on the lookout for suitable flame retardants. However, because no suitable product was available on the market, it decided to take the initiative. The company, which is experienced in product and pro- cess innovations, found Empa to be the ideal research partner. EDA-DOPO is REACH registered Another flame retardant devel- oped at Empa is called EDA-DOPO and is already one step further on the way to commercial applica- tion. EDA-DOPO belongs to the class of phosphonamidates, con- tains no halogens that are harm- ful to environment and has been registered in the EU chemical da- tabase REACH since autumn 2018. The registration of a newly de- veloped substance is very time- consuming and represents an important milestone for commer- cial marketing: REACH-registered substances are considered safe for humans and the environment. They may also be transported in large quantities throughout the EU without a hazardous goods class and can also be used in resi- dential buildings, public buildings and in public transport. EDA-DOPO is currently used for mattress foams. Applications in the coating technology as well as in the plastic production are also in exploration. Foam sample with EDA-DOPO in a flame test in the Empa laboratory Photo: Empa Laser cut decorative wooden and HPL-elements can be equipped with fireproofing now. Photo: Bruag AG Continued from page 1