Federal-Mogul develops new flame-retardant resin

Federal-Mogul Corporation today announced it has developed a new flame-retardant polyethylene terephthalate for use in interior vehicle trim and in wiring harness insulation of motor vehicles.

Most flame-retardant materials are used to delay the spread of fire, but unlike Federal-Mogul's polyethylene terephthalate yarn, these typically contain halogenated substances that emit thick black smoke and toxic gases when they burn. Breathing in these toxic gasses can be extremely dangerous for drivers and passengers. The new yarn is a halogen-free flame-retardant material that doesn't release "flaming drips" when it burns.

"We see a substantial global market for Federal-Mogul's new flame retardant material that offers an unprecedented level of protection and may be the first of its kind in the world," said Ramzi Hermiz, senior vice president, Federal-Mogul Vehicle Safety and Protection. "With a growing public transport infrastructure around the world, as well as the potential for its use in buildings and other stationary applications, we believe that adoption of this new Federal-Mogul technology could improve world-class safety standards and help save lives."

According to a news release, the innovation behind this breakthrough is the use of a combination of two carefully selected melamine-based flame retardant materials. The materials decompose they absorb heat, cooling the adjacent burning material and forming a char that prevents the formation of burning drips. Constituents of the new material also vaporize, reducing the surface temperature by diluting the oxygen that would otherwise feed the fire.

According to Federal-Mogul, it plans to adapt the material for different mass-produced textiles.