Flame Retardant Casting Resins
Flame Retardant Casting Resins: Light and self-extinguishing – suitable for large projects
The requirements for fire protection in the building and transport sector have increased steadily in recent years. In line with the increasing need for safety, the specifications have been tightened even under conditions in which the occurrence of fire is not given or highly unlikely. To be able to comply with the regulations, (combustible) building materials are more and more having flame retardants added, which take on an important function in the prevention or containment of fires.
If the materials are used in different industry applications, the addition of flame retardants must be kept flexible in each case, as the applicable standards in different industries, often show considerable differences.
Task: Flame-retardant casting resins as a substitute for mineral wool, glass or insulating materials
In large-scale construction or infrastructure projects where standardised furnishing elements are used, cast foam is increasingly being used – for example in the furnishing of hotel rooms or cabins for cruise ships. Until now, mineral wool, glass or insulating materials have often been used to connect or stabilise interior and exterior walls in such prefabricated furnishing modules. Enormous weight savings can be realised here using cast foam.
Plastic solution: PU 60 FR polyurethane cast foam as core element in sandwich panels
The new two-component lightweight foam: polyurethane cast foam PU 60 FR was developed by ebalta especially for large-area applications in which flame protection plays a central role. For example, it is used as a core element in sandwich panels and boards in extensive construction and renovation projects. The low density is a big advantage. This not only saves transport costs, but also – especially in marine applications – operating costs. Another advantage is the very short working time. The PU 60 FR already starts foaming after about 20 seconds and then cures in a few minutes. The panels can be removed from the moulds correspondingly quickly.
The panels produced with the casting foam are self-extinguishing. The low smoke toxicity also significantly reduces the risk of smoke poisoning. The PU 60 FR has already been tested by ebalta customers according to fire protection class B1. However, since the qualification of the manufactured parts depends on the overall system, certification of the individual components is only possible in exceptional cases.