The leading global supplier of high-performance polymers Solvay has introduced three new grades to its Cogegum® silane grafted, polyolefin-based, cross-linkable and halogen-free flame retardant (GFR XLPO-HFFR) compounds portfolio.
“As leaders in silane cross-linkable compounds for the wire and cable industry, these new products meet a growing demand for higher performing, safer and more sustainable cable sheathing and wire insulation materials in especially demanding industrial market segments such as oil and gas, chemical, automotive and transportation, electrical and electronics,” states Luigi Dalpasso, senior vice president of cross-linkable compounds for Solvay Specialty Polymers. “Our new Cogegum® GFR grades represent a major step forward in halogen-free flame retardant technology without compromising the profitable processing characteristics and high end-use flexibility of this innovative product family.”
Cogegum® GFR 903 is a sheathing grade targeted at special cables in oil and gas and the chemical industry that must meet NEK TS 606 and IEC 60092-360 requirements, such as in offshore installations. The compound provides high flame retardancy, a low calorific potential and intumescent char forming. It is particularly resistant to hydrocarbon-based drilling muds as well as water-based and oil-based fluids. In addition, its high flexibility facilitates the handling and routing of the cables.
Cogegum® GFR 1401 is an insulation grade designed to meet ISO 6722 and major automotive standards, such as T3 for engine compartment cables that require heat resistance of up to 125°C. It features excellent abrasion resistance in thin-wall applications, and as a zero-halogen solution helps to implement strict end-of-life vehicle regulations.
Cogegum® GFR 1301 is an insulation/sheathing grade for extremely demanding electrical and electronics cables with working temperatures from -40°C to +105°C. It provides flame retardancy rated to UL 1581 VW-1 (a combined vertical tray and vertical wire flame testing procedure) and also meets UL standards 44 (thermoset insulated wires and cables) and UL 758 (appliance wiring materials).
Like all Cogegum® GFR compounds the three new grades can be extruded at high line speeds on conventional equipment used for thermoplastic cable and wire insulation. In combination with different catalyst masterbatch grades, supplied by Solvay, they are curable at ambient temperature and the high performance of these compounds can be custom-matched to specific thermal, weathering and long-term aging requirements.
They share an enhanced flame retardant system based on light metal hydroxides that provides self-extinguishing properties without the use of halogens, resulting in zero halogenidric acid formation as well as minimized generation of toxic fumes, corrosive gases and dark smoke in the case of fire. The halogen-free formulation also adds to the low corrosiveness of Cogegum® GFR during processing. All three grades are fully RoHS compliant and offer excellent resistance to oils, fuels, alkalines and acids as well as mud and drilling fluids. They are ideally suited for applications requiring high thermal endurance and electrical properties, including severe short circuit temperatures.
Other typical applications of the Cogegum® GFR XLPO-HFFR series include power, instrumentation control and data cables in military and shipboard installations, as well as railway cables for electronic circuit failure prevention and photovoltaic panel connection cables.