Soft zero halogen flame retardant thermoplastic elastomers

• Main Author: LEE BIING-LIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.12.2010
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; CHEMISTRY; COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES ORLACQUERS; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; DYES; FILLING PASTES; INKS; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PAINTS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; POLISHES; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR; WOODSTAINS

Soft flame retardant thermoplastic compositions that are preferably halogen free and include a styrenic block copolymer having a low modulus, one or more of a polyolefin polymer or copolymer and an acrylate containing polymer or copolymer, one or more of a softener and plasticizer, an inorganic phosphorous-containing flame retardant, and optionally but preferably, a platelet filler such as a nanoclay or an organic modified clay. In a preferred embodiment, the phosphorous-containing flame retardant has a surface coating thereon which reduces sensitivity of the flame retardant to water, and thus reduces the amount of the flame retardant that can leach out in the presence of water, thereby enabling the compositions of the present invention to be utilized outdoors or other environments where exposure to water or high humidity is possible. The hardness of the compositions according to the invention preferably ranges from about Shore A 40 to about Shore A 90. The compositions exhibit high char formation upon burning and also desirable vertical burn characteristics.