CLARIANT “Exolit OP 560” halogen-free flame retardant for natural oil based, polyurethane foams / 80% material savings for bedding and upholstery industry
Thanks to its unique characteristics, “Exolit OP 560”, a halogen-free flame retardant developed by Swiss speciality chemicals producer Clariant (Muttenz; www.clariant.com), is capable of offering fire protection for a new class of natural oil based, renewable polyurethane foams, the company said. The grade in effect eliminates unwanted emissions since it chemically reacts into the PU foam polymer, meaning it cannot migrate. Clariant said “Exolit OP 560” also benefits PU applications such as bedding and upholstery thanks to its excellent ageing stability, low smoke density and smoke gas corrosivity as well as its good recyclability.
Thanks to its high effectiveness and high polymer compatibility, the phosphonate can be used at low dosage in the foam matrix, adding to sustainability. For instance, the amount of flame retardant required for flexible foam to pass the smoulder and open flame tests set out in the California TB 117 flammability standard is reduced by 80%. In this respect, Clariant points to research conducted by Green Urethanes (Walton on Trent / UK; www.greenurethanes.com), a provider of green solutions to the global PU industry, which reportedly confirms that producers can use the reactive halogen-free “Exolit OP 560” flame retardant to develop low emission flexible foams that meet international accepted flammability standards.