Flame retardants are materials that can reduce or stop the spread of a fire. Water is a common flame retardant. There are many materials that can act as flame retardants, such chemicals that reduce the flammability or slow down the combustion of fuels. There are also powders that can blanket a material and stop combustion by inhibiting the flow of oxygen and cooling the fuel quickly.
These are the flame retardants that we are all more or less familiar with because these are used in fire extinguisher. These retardants are used to stop the spread of a fire as quickly as possible. It is about finding the cure after the incident. But what about prevention? After all, it should be our focus. We need something that can prevent fire at its source, a material that can quickly avert it from occurring without human intervention. This is where flame retardant profiles India play their vital role.
Need for Modern Flame Retardants
Fire is one of the most devastating forces of nature. Whether it occurs naturally or due to man-made reasons, a fire can spread in a matter of seconds, engulfing and destroying everything in its wake. While there has been extensive research, government action and legislation to ensure that our living and working spaces are safe from such incidents, the truth is that many of our modern inventions are actually more susceptible to fire.
We know that almost everything around us can act as fuel — from paper to our clothes. But electronics have an added edge here. Unlike paper which cannot catch fire on its own, this is not impossible with electronic devices. Faulty wiring, short circuits and high temperatures can easily become hazardous. That is why there has been considerable research in developing flame retardants in electric devices.
The flame retardants in an electrical devices should be:
Able to withstand high temperatures: For instance, the engine compartment of a car can get extremely hot. We need a material to encase different cables and attachments. But it should be able to bear the high temperatures without melting or catching a spark. When a flame retardant profiles India does not heat up, it also ensures that the space outside the engine compartments remains cool.
Reduce or slow down combustion: Many of the fire retardant materials are not completely fire proof like water, which cannot catch fire. Given a high intensity of fire, some of these materials will slowly combust. However, their rate of combustion is very slow. Meaning, it takes them a long time to catch fire completely. This way the fire retardant slows down the spread of fire, giving the device’s internal systems enough time to trigger the alarm. It also ensures that ether is never an ‘explosive’ situation where the sudden eruption can cause serious injury.
Multi-functional: The ability to deal with fire is only part of the job for the flame retardant profiles India. As a ‘profile’, its main job is to provide structure or support to the overall construction, whether it is an automobile, an aircraft or a toy. Common flame retardant profiles are used in making the seats of a car or as jacketing to protect the wire inside.
Controlling build up of heat: Because a fire retardant profile has the ability to withstand high temperatures, it will not heat up when exposed to very high heat. When we build machines that can reach very high temperatures, this property becomes very essential. It means that even when something heats up, such as an engine, the temperature in the rest of the machine does not heat up simultaneously and we have enough time to bring down the buildup of heat.
Polymers as flame retardant
Today the common flame retardant profiles India are polymers like EPDM and silicon rubber. These polymers have a dense molecular structure that can withstand very high temperatures. These polymers are used in multiple industries, such as automotive, aviation, consumer goods, construction, infrastructure projects and more. They are used as part of different components like seating or for sealing.
You can also get specially commissioned flame retardant profiles India customized to fit any design. The unique properties of polymers also help us in meeting stringent fire safety standards.
