Flaretpol

FLARETPOL or Development of an innovative, cost-effective technology to produce halogen-free high-performance flame-retardant polypropylene, is a specific targeted research project which aims to produce nanocomposites of polypropylene encapsulating nano-sized inorganic materials to imbue flame retardancy to the polymer while retaining the desired physical properties of the material.

This project is being carried out under the European Union's Sixth Framework Programme, & involves 12 partners from across the European Union & associated states, bringing together the required expertise & knowledge to achieve its multidisciplinary objectives.

The fundamental aim of the project is to solve the problem of producing flame-resistant plastics based on magnesium hydroxide-filled polypropylene, with good processability & the ability to meet the most restrictive demands concerning mechanical properties & flame resistance.

Sophisticated MH surface engineering techniques will be used, including direct coupling to the MH of tailor-made reactive peroxide oligomers (route 1), creation of a nano-sized tailored polymer layer around the MH (route 2), & combination of MH treated by routes 1 & 2 with treated nano-clay (route 3).

This innovation will provide a major advance in the field of flame-retardant plastic materials, which could be extrapolated to most of the areas of sophisticated composite manufacturing & improvement of properties in filler/polymer systems due to the versatility of the interface modifiers to be designed, synthesised & used.

Start date: 1/04/2005
Completion date: 30/09/2008

For more information, please visit - www.flaretpol.com