The Handbook of Flame Retardants contains an extensive evaluation of existing literature, products, and patents on flame retardance. Two separate publications are simultaneously released on this critical subject, each complementing the other: the Databook of Flame Retardants and the Handbook of Flame Retardants. The Databook contains information and data on over 350 commercial and literature-based products, and the Handbook explains their roles, selection, mechanism of action, and use in different polymers and products.
From the information in the Introduction, it can be inferred that the global flame retardant market is growing. Also, high fluidity is observed in permitted applications of various groups of flame retardants, mainly because of increased public awareness and scrutiny, but also because of the large time lag between the implementation of new groups of flame retardants and the flow of negative observations, which frequently lead to their replacement.
Chapter 2 contains fundamental information on the ignition and spread of fire. Energy effects on the ignition, ignition sources, and the effects of pressure, oxygen concentration, gravity, buoyancy, geometry, airflow, and heat absorption are examples of topics discussed in reference to ignition. Flash fires, tunnel fires, pool fires, trench fires, jet fires, flow impingement, and convective heat loss are some topics related to modeling fire spread.
Chapter 3 has been devoted to combustion, pyrolysis, smoke, and char formation. Flammability limits, burning velocity, decomposition temperature, limiting oxygen index, heat release capacity, and specific heat of combustion are typical parameters affecting combustion. A variety of properties related to pyrolysis, such as bubble formation, diffusion, viscosity, surface flame spread, thermal radiation, heat conduction, wind, smoldering, and many others, are discussed in relation to pyrolysis. Smoke is the major reason for death in fires, and char formation is the major protection against the emission of gases and provides inhibition of fires – both are discussed extensively in Chapter 3 and in Chapter 6 for individual polymers.
Chapter 4 outlines the properties of 30 chemical groups of flame retardants. The average properties for each group are given in a table containing five sections, including general, physical, health, ecological, and use data. These tables were prepared based on data included in the Databook of Flame Retardants. The difference is in scope. The Databook contains data for 350+ individual flame retardants, and this chapter of the Handbook contains only a range of properties for each chemical group.
Chapter 5 discusses mechanisms of action and outcomes in preventing, delaying, or extinguishing burning material for 21 groups of flame retardants. Each group's discussion includes typical representatives, synergists, and modes of action in the gas and condensed phases. The mechanisms are illustrated by chemical equations and schematic diagrams emphasizing the most important features of each mechanism.
Chapter 6, in 67 separate sections, discusses flame retardants, their peculiarities of action, specific mechanisms, applications to different products, and results of their incorporation. Based on the most recent findings, suggestions are made for the best selection of flame retardants for various polymers, their incorporation and loading, and their effect on the properties of final products.
1. Introduction
2. Fire ignition and spread
3. Combustion, pyrolysis, and smoke and char formation
4. Typical groups of flame retardants and intumescent additives
a. Antimonates
b. Borates
c. Brominated
d. Carbon nanotube
e. Chloroparaffin
f. Fluoropolymers
g. Graphene
h. Graphite
i. Hydroxides (aluminum, magnesium)
j. Hydroxystanates and stannates
k. Inorganic complex
l. Melamines and triazines
m. Molybdates
n. Organophosphorous
o. Organotins
p. Oxides
q. Peroxides
r. Phosphates
s. Phosphazenes
t. Phosphinates
u. Phosphonates
v. Phosphites
w. Red phosphorus
x. Silicates
y. Siloxanes
z. Silsesquioxane
aa. Other
5. Mechanisms of action of flame retardants
6. Selection of flame retardants for different polymers
George Wypych has PhD Eng. The professional expertise includes university teaching (full professor) and research & development (university and corporate). He has published 48 books (PVC Plastisols, Wroclaw University Press; Polyvinylchloride Degradation, Elsevier; Polyvinylchloride Stabilization, Elsevier; Polymer Modified Textile Materials, Wiley & Sons; Handbook of Material Weathering, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Edition, ChemTec Publishing; Handbook of Fillers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Edition, ChemTec Publishing; Recycling of PVC, ChemTec Publishing; Weathering of Plastics. Testing to Mirror Real Life Performance, Plastics Design Library, Handbook of Solvents, Vol. 1. Properties 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Solvents, Vol. 2. Health & Environment 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Plasticizers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Antistatics, 1st and 2nd Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Antistatics, 1st and 2nd Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Antiblocking, Release and Slip Additives, 1st , 2nd and 3rd Edition, ChemTec Publishing, Industrial Solvents in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (two editions), John Wiley & Sons, PVC Degradation & Stabilization, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Editions, ChemTec Publishing, The PVC Formulary, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Material Biodegradation, Biodeterioration, and Biostabilization, 1st and 2nd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of UV Degradation and Stabilization, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Polymers, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Atlas of Material Damage, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Odors in Plastic Materials, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Solvents (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Blowing and Auxiliary Agents, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Foaming and Blowing Agents (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Green Solvents, ChemTec Publishing (two editions), Self-healing Products (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Adhesion Promoters (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Surface Modification Additives (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Surface Improvement and Modification (two editions), ChemTec Publishing, Graphene – Important Results and Applications, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Curatives and Crosslinkers, ChemTec Publishing, Chain Mobility and Progress in Medicine, Pharmaceutical, Polymer Science and Technology, Impact of Award, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Antioxidants, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Antioxidants, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of UV Stabilizers (two Editions), ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Flame Retardants, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Nucleating Agents, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Flame Retardants, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Nucleating Agents, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Polymers in Electronics, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Impact Modifiers, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Rheological Additives, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Impact Modifiers, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Rheological Additives, ChemTec Publishing, Databook of Polymer Processing Additives, ChemTec Publishing, Handbook of Polymer Processing Additives, ChemTec Publishing, Functional Fillers (two editions), 2 databases (Solvents Database, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Edition and Database of Antistatics 1st and 2nd Edition, both by ChemTec Publishing), and 42 scientific papers and obtained 16 patents. He specializes in PVC, polymer additives, material durability, and the development of sealants and coatings. He was included in the Dictionary of International Biography, Who's Who in Plastics and Polymers, and Who's Who in Engineering, and was selected International Man of the Year 1996-1997 in recognition of services to education.