Preparation of smoke and flame retardant resinous compositions

Abstract

Preparation of improved smoke and flame retardant high structural strength resinous compositions by incorporating fractured finely ground solid powder particles of soda-containing silicate glass, especially soda-lime-silicate glass, having a high and irregular surface area and an average particle size below about 40 mesh, and a finely divided inorganic solid oxidic boron material capable of forming inert glass upon being heated, e.g. sodium tetraborate (anhydrous, pentahydrate and decahydrate), boric acid, and boron oxide, alone or combined in an average particle size below about 40 mesh, into the corresponding resin or synthetic plastic, e.g. polyester, in intimate and substantially uniform distribution therein to form an admixture therewith prior to curing, said boron material being incorporated in an effective amount, e.g. between about 1-50% based on the combined weight of the resin and boron material present, for imparting an active flame retarding property to the cured resin, and said boron material and particles of glass correspondingly being incorporated in a combined effective amount for imparting an active smoke retarding property to the cured resin, e.g. with said particles of glass being conjointly incorporated in an amount of between 1-60% based on the combined weight of the resin and particles of glass present, preferably yet optionally for combining in turn with fiber-glass, e.g. in the weight ratio range of about 70-90% resin-boron material-glass-mixture to about 30-10% fiber-glass, to produce upon curing, preferably fiber-glass reinforced, resinous or plastic products of high structural strength possessing improved conjoint smoke and flame retardancy.