This month, Teknor Apex introduces an expanded series of low-smoke, flame-retardant thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that overcome the difficulties of processing highly filled polyolefins while still enabling manufacturers to meet stringent flame and smoke requirements with products that are halogen-free.
Inherently elastic, Teknor Apex’s Halguard® E 59000 Series HFFR TPE compounds contain no plasticizers but compare well with plasticized PVC in mechanical and electrical performance.
The Halguard series is based on polymer chemistry different from the polyolefins in other HFFR compounds, and incorporates intumescent flame retardant formulations rather than the metal hydrates used to render the polyolefin products flame retardant. While having flame performance similar to that of polyolefin HFFR compounds and greater oil-resistance, Halguard E 59000 Series TPEs exhibit lower density, lower melt viscosity, and higher elongation at break and avoid the processing challenges posed by high loadings of metal hydrate flame retardants.
Teknor Apex recommends Halguard E 59000 Series compounds for flexible cords, appliance wire, power cords for computers, HDMI cables for televisions and monitors, and wiring for device chargers and USB connectors, as well as other specialty cable applications.
Teknor Apex will continue to expand this series, drawing on proprietary polymer and flame-retardant technology to further develop HFFR products that are very flexible, are easy to extrude, and encompass a broadening range of end use specifications.
