Flame Retardancy Workshop at the IMDEA Materials Institute, Madrid
From 4 to 6 February 2014, a workshop on Advances in Fire Retardancy of Polymeric Materials took place at the Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Materials IMDEA south of Madrid and counted around 70 participants. It was part of the Asia-Europe Symposium and Properties of Reinforced Polymers (AESP7). With 46 presentation and 24 posters, the workshop gave a comprehensive overview on new achievements in flame retardancy of polymeric systems encompassing thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, foams, textiles, biodegradable polymers, composites and recycling, as well as on fire safety regulations and testing trends. Established and new flame retardant systems based on phosphorous and nitrogen (DOPO, phosphinates, polymeric phosphorous compounds, intumescent systems), inorganics with a focus on the different groups of nano-compounds (nanoclays, carbon nanotubes, double layered hydroxides, nanospheres, graphene and fullerenes) as well as on synergists, were presented.
The plenary and keynote papers reviewed the state of the art of flame retardancy mechanisms in the gas and condensed phase, the sustainability of flame retardants, the wide range of nanocomposites systems and their contribution to flame retardancy, flame retardant epoxy resins and composites, new phosphorous flame retardants developments, bio-based flame retarded polymers and systems for textiles. The other presentations and posters went into more detail regarding new developments from academia and industry and their potential for commercialization.
All in all, the workshop gave an excellent insight into the state of the art and trends in flame retardants, their chemistry and mode of action, the multiple flame retardants applications in polymers and last not least into toxicity and fire safety aspects.
Details Program: https://aesp7.org/program/