Byk USA Inc.

Arechederra, Robert

Robert Arechederra

Pre-exfoliated natural or synthetic, modified or unmodified layered materials are prepared by mixing layered materials with one or more plastics additives selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers, antioxidants, colorants, flame retardants, antimicrobials and fatty acid additives and melt extruding the mixture. The layered materials are for example modified or unmodified layered silicate clays. The galleries of the layered materials in the mixtures are expanded to a level of less than full exfoliation. The melt extruded mixtures of layered materials and additives are highly useful to prepare polymer nanocomposites.

Pre-exfoliated layered material

The present disclosure is aimed at flame retardant thermoplastic polymer compositions. The flame retardant compositions are advantageously antimony free. The compositions contain an effective flame retarding amount of a combination of one or more bismuth compounds selected from the group consisting of bismuth oxychloride, bismuth oxyfluoride, bismuth oxybromide, bismuth oxyiodide and bismuth oxynitrate and one or more organobromine flame retardants, for instance decabromodiphenyl ether (decabromodiphenyl oxide) or tris[3-bromo-2,2-bis(bromomethyl)propyl]phosphate. The thermoplastic polymer is for instance polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene/polyethylene copolymer or thermoplastic olefin. The present formulations advantageously contain no antimony trioxide and achieve V0 according to the UL 94 flammability test.

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Ballwin, MO, United States of America

Robert Arechederra