Novokhim, the Engineering Chemical-Technological Center, and the Laboratory of Organic Synthesis of Tomsk State University have developed the first domestically produced anticombustion substances. Starting next year, Tomsk will be ready to produce up to 500 tons of fire retardants.
Flame retardants are added to polymers, paints, and various finishing materials to make them nonflammable. According to modern requirements, materials for interior decoration, and materials for wall insulation must be fire-resistant.
Production capacity in 2021 will be up to 500 tons per year with a subsequent increase. The market is already supplied with melamine polyphosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, melamine borate, boron phosphate, zinc borate phosphate, melamine cyanurate, and various modifications of these fire retardants.
An important advantage is that Tomsk chemists can not only supply flame retardants, but also prepare concentrates for customers that are compatible with the consumer's material and produce pilot batches of finished products from polypropylene, SBS rubber, ABS plastic, and polystyrene. In this case, a client sends the polymer to the Tomsk company, tests are carried out in Tomsk, the most suitable fire retardants are selected, and then a 50- to 300-kg pilot batch of them is produced and the finished granulate is sent to the customer.
- Introducing fire retardants into a polymer and at the same time achieving optimal material characteristics is not an easy technological task. Novokhim has competencies in this area, and TSU specialists carry out field supervision and are engaged almost daily in improving technologies and developing and testing new brands of fire retardants, - said Alexey Knyazev, director of the Engineering Chemical-Technological Center (ECTC), TSU.