Magnesium Hydroxide as a Flame Retardant for Polymer Applications

1 MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE AS A FLAME RETARDANT FOR POLYMER APPLICATIONS 

Every year in the United States alone there are approximately 5000 deaths as a direct result of fire. Aside from the loss of life, the cost associated with fire damage approaches 0.3% of the gross national product (GNP). These facts illustrate the importance of efficient fire protection and for mineral flame retardants, which play an important role in this issue. The European and North American market for mineral flame retardants are both approximately 340,000 tons per annum, with projected growth rates of 3 and 5%, respectively (Weber, 2000 Hornsby and Watson, 1989, 1990). 

In both Europe and the United States, aluminum trihydrate, or ATH [Al(OH)3)], has by far the largest share of the mineral flame-retardant market however, magnesium hydroxide presently has the highest growth rate. To date, most of the research using magnesium hydroxide has focused on thermoplastics, including ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer, and modified polyphenylene oxide (Hornsby and Watson, 1986). 

The Chemistry and Technology of Magnesia, by Mark A. Shand Copyright 2006 John Wiley Sons, Inc. 

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