Melamine fiber applications

Melamine fiber is mainly used in heat- and flame-resistant applications, especially in the manufacture of protective clothing for the iron, steel, and automobile industries, in aircraft and... 

Wool and Visil fiber are blended to improve latter s fiber properties, but the flammability of the blend is also reduced. Cotton-wool blends are quite common as well. Aramids are blended with many fibers for different applications. Nomex can be blended with FR viscose and FR wool to produce fire-blocking fabric, e.g., for aircraft seats.4 Nomex blended with Kevlar shows better performance than 100% Nomex in fire fighters outer protective garments.26 Various blends of glass fibers with aramids, melamine fibers, PVC fibers, and polyester have been reported for use in fire-protective nonwoven veils for upholstery and mattresses.92... 

Together, antifreeze, PET, and polyester polymers account for about 98% of the ethylene glycol produced in the United States. It is also used sometimes as a deicer for aircraft surfaces. The two hydroxyl groups in the EG molecule also make EG suitable for the manufacture of surfactants and in latex paints. Other applications include hydraulic brake fluid, the manufacture of alkyd resins for surface coatings, and stabilizers for water dispersions of urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde The hygroscopic properties (absorbs moisture from the air) make EG useful as a humectant for textile fibers, paper, leather, and adhesives treatment. 

Urea—formaldehyde and melamine—formaldehyde reagents are resin formers, which not only cross-link cotton but also copolymerize with themselves. These have been used both as simple cross-linkers or prepolymer systems. If too much of the polymerization is concentrated on the fiber surface, the fabric may be sufficiendy stiffer that it takes on a boardy character. As such, the finisher must control the action of agent to give the desired crisp hand but prevent the development of boardiness. Melamines have been recommended for applications when complete shrink resistance is required. However, both finishes were rejected for the white-shirt market because of loss of strength when hypochlorite bleach is used on account of vulnerable NH groups and the ensuing discoloration (37). 

Melamine diborate (MB), known in the fire-retardant trade as melamine borate, is a white powder, which can be prepared readily from melamine and boric acid. It is partly soluble in water and acts as an afterglow suppressant and a char promoter in cellulosic materials. Budenheim Iberica79 claims that, in a 1 1 combination with APP, MB (10%-15%) can be used for phenolic bound nonwoven cotton fibers. In general, melamine borate can be used as a char promoter in intumescent systems for various polymers including polyolefins or elastomers. However, its low dehydration temperature (about 130°C) limits its application in thermoplastics that are processed at above 130°C. Melamine borate is also reported to suppress afterglow combustion in flame-proofing textiles with APP or monoammonium phosphate to meet the German DIN 53,459 and Nordtest NT-Fire 002.80... 

This chapter will deal with the chemistry and applications of epoxies, phenolics, urethanes, and a variety of current vogue high-temperature polymers. Applications in fiber-reinforced plastics will be discussed in the individual sections on resin chemistry where appropriate. Separate sections will deal with adhesives and sealants. Adhesives are most important because, as early history demonstrates, they led the way to the application of resins in aerospace. A section is also included on silicone and polysulfide sealants. Although these materials are elastomers rather than resins, no discussion of aerospace polymers would be complete without some mention. Some major thermosetting polymers have been omitted from this review. Among these are the unsaturated polyesters, melamines, ureas, and the vinyl esters. Although these products do find their way into aerospace applications, the uses are so small that a detailed discussion is not warranted. 

A large number of commercially important condensation polymers are employed as homopolymers. These include those polymers that depend on crystallinity for their major applications, such as rylons and fiber-forming polyesters, and the bulk of such important thermosetting materials like phenolics and urea-formaldehyde resins. In many applications, condensation polymers are used as copolymers. For example, fast-setting phenolic adhesives are resorcinol-modified, while melamine has sometimes been incorporated into the urea-formaldehyde resin structure to enhance its stability. Copolyesters find application in a fairly broad spectrum of end uses. 

Anionic dispersions based on IPDI, HMDI, and HDI are particularly important and are largely used for industrial applications (e.g., as glass fiber sizing or as a finish for leather and leather imitates). Chemical cross-linking is achieved by the use of water-soluble melamine resins. Stoving temperatures of ca. 140 °C are necessary. 

Electrical Laminates. Printed wiring boards (PWB) or printed circuit boards (PCB) are used in all types of electronic equipment. In noncritical applications such as inexpensive consnmer electronics, these components are made from paper-reinforced phenolic, melamine, or polyester resins. For more critical applications such as high end consnmer electronics, computers, complex telecommunication equipment, etc, higher performance materials are required and epoxy resin based glass fiber laminates fnlfill the requirements at reasonable costs. This application constitntes the single largest volume of epoxies used in structural composites. In 2000, an estimated 200,000 MT of epoxy resins were used globally to manufacture PCB laminates. 

Commercial chemical fibers are combustible in nature, and improved FR properties must be considered in actual application. Most FR additives contain bromine (Br), chlorine (Cl), phosphorus (P), antimony, or aluminum. Among them, commonly used additives are additive brominated hydrocarbons and reactive brominated hydrocarbons, nonhalogenated phosphate esters, halogenated phosphate esters, trioxide antimony oxide, pentoxide antimony oxide and sodium derivatives, chlorinated hydrocarbons like chlorinated paraffin, and chlorinated cycloaUphatics. Others include chlorinated or brominated compounds, fluorinated compounds, magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, melamine, molybdenum compounds, silicone polymer, and zinc borate. Sometimes, polymers are chemically modified, and N, P, Cl, fluorine (F), silicon (Si), and Br elements can be introduced into the polymer main chain [49]. 

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