Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Brominated Flame Retardants
Why do screw corrosion problems occur with the use of
brominated flame retardants?
Screw corrosion is the result of either incorrect cleaning
of equipment (leaving residual brominated flame retardant
behind) or insufficient thermal stability. Sufficient
purging before shutdown will alleviate the problems residual
brominated flame retardant can cause. To achieve thermal
stability, adding an acid scavenger of the type used in
stabilizing PVC should solve the corrosion problem.
Which metallic compounds cause problems with the use of
brominated flame retardants?
Iron oxides as part of the color formulation often cause
problems in compounding resulting in yellow to brown
discoloration. Zinc stearates often used as a
lubricant/demolding compound in HIPS causes premature
decomposition and discoloration in compounding especially
with aliphatic brominated flame retardants like our CD-75P
and PE-68 products.
What is the effect of fillers on flame retardant
performance?
Inert fillers like talc in polypropylene and glass fibers in
engineering thermoplastics have little or no effect on UL VO
ratings. They often allow reduction of flame retardant
loading. For UL V2, where dripping and consequently flow of
the material is critical, there may be a negative effect of
the filler, especially when particle size is fine enough to
lead to reduced flowability.
Phosphate Esters
In which lubricants are DURAD phosphate ester additives
most commonly used?
They are most commonly used in circulating and hydraulic as
well as turbine lubes. However, they are used in
essentially all types of lubricants including metal working,
automotive, and essentially all types of industrial
lubricants. Our DURAD phosphate ester products are used in
situations where an anti-wear system is required without the
presence of metals or when a cost effective boost to
anti-wear properties are required with little impact on the
balance of the formulation. In addition, DURAD 310M is used
when oils up to FZG 12+ are required without using
sulfur-based or chlorinated products.
Can you explain the environmental, health, and safety
impacts of your phosphate esters?
In general, our phosphate esters have excellent
environmental, health, and safety properties. Under
European labeling regulations, our phosphate esters fall
into one of two categories: 1) no adverse safety labels are
required or 2) lowest level of labeling required. The
environmental properties for phosphate esters are typically
equivalent to the base fluids in which they are used.
Where should phosphate ester fire resistant fluids be
used?
For most applications, water-based flame retardant fluids
are used, however these are unsuitable for systems where
fluid temperatures might get above 60°C. The pressure of the
system or other aspects of its design may require a fluid
with superior lubricating properties compared to water based
fluids. Under these circumstances, phosphate esters are used
to provide an adequate level of fire resistance.
Antioxidants for Lubricants
What are the key trends in antioxidants for
lubricants?
Currently, we are seeing two significant trends in this
area. The first trend is the use of liquid antioxidants in
place of solid products. Liquids greatly improve the
simplicity of blending plant operation. The second trend is
a move towards more efficient antioxidant systems that offer
lower costs in existing lubricants or the potential for
superior performance for top tier products.
Why do you offer a core range of antioxidant products,
but a much wider range of other antioxidants?
Our DURAD AX branded products are the recommended
antioxidant for the majority of applications. In some niche
markets, a wider choice of products that offer special
benefits are preferred. Our product range, for instance,
have limited limited solubility in mineral oil and,
therefore, should be considered only synthetic lubricants.
Other products within our extended range are generally only
considered when the performance justifies the additional
expense.
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