Environment-friendly welding-resistant low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of PVC coated cloth, and particularly relates to environment-friendly welding-resistant low-cost coated cloth meeting the BS7837 standard. The coated fabric is a PVC coated fabric, and a PVC coated fabric coating taking WSFR-9702, antimony trioxide and decabromodiphenyl ethane as flame retardants is obtained through a large number of screening, so that the coated fabric simultaneously meets the comprehensive performance requirements of meeting the high flame retardance requirement of the BS7837 standard, meeting the high environmental protection requirement of the REACH regulation, being resistant to welding, low in cost, free of precipitation, folding white and the like; therefore, the method has the advantages of environmental protection, cost reduction and quality improvement, the comprehensive competitive advantage of the product is improved, and the method has great industrial application value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of PVC coated fabric technology, and specifically relates to an environmentally friendly, weldable, low-cost coated fabric that conforms to the BS7837 standard. Background Technology

[0002] Coated fabric mainly refers to fabric coated with special materials using a special process, thus adding special functions to the fabric. PVC coated fabric is made by coating PVC material onto a mesh fabric. As a multi-functional material with waterproof, sun-proof, and other properties, PVC coated fabric needs to meet standard requirements for flame retardancy and weldability, while also satisfying environmental protection requirements.

[0003] For a long time, the flame retardants used in PVC coated fabrics have often been triphenyl phosphate (TPP) flame retardants and antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), which have good flame retardant properties. For example, CN202411120285.2 provides a high flame retardant weldable smoke-suppressing coated fabric and its preparation method. By adding flame retardant plasticizers, metal oxide flame retardants, borate flame retardants, and metal hydroxide flame retardants, it can meet the different flame retardant requirements of high flame retardant coated fabrics, such as anti-dripping, self-extinguishing properties, length, and mass loss rate. However, due to the environmentally unfriendly characteristics of TPP, it has been included in the SVHC candidate list, which limits its application and necessitates a significant reduction in the amount and content of TPP.

[0004] Furthermore, antimony is a crucial strategic resource, and antimony products are almost impossible or difficult to recycle after use. With increasingly stringent environmental policies and restrictions on antimony mining, the production cost of antimony trioxide has been rising continuously. Between 2023 and 2024, its market price increased by over 20%, with an even more dramatic increase in early 2025. This has led to a sharp rise in the material cost of using Sb₂O₃ as a flame retardant.

[0005] Therefore, in response to changes in industry policies and market demands, there is an urgent need to improve PVC coated fabrics. While meeting high flame retardant standards, it is even more crucial to meet high environmental standards, and to reduce costs while improving quality. However, this change in materials can affect the weldability, exudation, and whitening properties of the coated fabric. There is currently a lack of precedents for simultaneously addressing these multiple technical requirements to obtain environmentally friendly, highly flame-retardant, highly weldable, and low-cost PVC coated fabrics. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the above problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide an environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric that conforms to BS7837 standards and its preparation method.

[0007] First, this invention provides an environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standards, comprising a base fabric and a coating material coated on both sides of the base fabric. The coating material, by weight, is made from the following raw materials: 100 parts PVC resin, 40-60 parts plasticizer, 1-3 parts liquid stabilizer; 0.2-0.8 parts mildew inhibitor; 0.4-1.0 parts UV stabilizer; 10-13 parts WSFR-9702, 7-9 parts antimony trioxide, 15-18 parts decabromodiphenyl ethane; 40-50 parts filler; and 1-3 parts viscosity reducer.

[0008] Preferably, the plasticizer is at least one of diphenyl phthalate (DPHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), and dioctyl adipate (DOA).

[0009] Preferably, the liquid stabilizer is at least one of liquid barium-zinc stabilizer and liquid calcium-zinc stabilizer.

[0010] Preferably, the filler is heavy calcium carbonate, and more preferably heavy calcium carbonate.

[0011] Preferably, the antifungal agent is at least one of salicylaniline, pentachlorophenol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline copper.

[0012] Preferably, the UV protectant is at least one of UV-531 and UV-1577.

[0013] Preferably, the viscosity reducer is selected from at least one of D60 solvent oil, D70 solvent oil, and D80 solvent oil. This invention, by adding a viscosity reducer, prepares a coating with suitable viscosity, and further prepares a coated fabric with stable performance.

[0014] Preferably, the base fabric is PET mesh fabric.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for preparing the aforementioned coated fabric, comprising the following steps:

[0016] S1 Coating Material Mixing: Weigh the corresponding raw materials according to the composition of the coating material and put them into a high-speed mixer to mix evenly. Stop mixing when the temperature reaches 30℃~50℃ to obtain the coating material.

[0017] Preparation of S2 coated fabric: The base fabric is installed on a coating equipment, the prepared coating material is poured in, and the coating is applied to both sides. At the same time, the oven is turned on for winding. The coating speed is 1m / min to 10m / min, and the oven temperature is 100℃ to 200℃.

[0018] Preferably, the coating process is a vertical coating process.

[0019] The technology of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] This invention unexpectedly yields an environmentally friendly, weldable, low-cost coated fabric that conforms to the BS7837 standard. This coated fabric simultaneously meets the comprehensive performance requirements of: conforming to the BS7837 standard (flame retardancy), conforming to REACH regulations (environmental friendliness), weldability, low cost, no exudation, and no whitening, thus possessing the advantages of being green and environmentally friendly, reducing costs and improving quality. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical concept, solution, and effects of the present invention are described in detail below through specific embodiments. These embodiments are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the PVC coated fabric preparation technology in the following embodiments is existing technology or common knowledge in the field. This includes the stirring speed of the coating material, the coating technique, the coating thickness, and the method of using the coated fabric preparation equipment. For details, please refer to "Coated and Laminated Textiles" edited by Walter Fung and published by Chemical Industry Press in 2006. Under the premise of the same mesh and coating thickness, the flame retardant, weldable, exudative, and whitening properties of the PVC coated fabric of the present invention are mainly related to the composition of the PVC coating material. In the following embodiments, during the coating material mixing steps of the examples and comparative examples, the stirring speed was 1000 rpm to 3000 rpm, the stirring time was approximately 10 min to 30 min, and stirring was stopped when the measured temperature reached 30℃ to 50℃. In the coating fabric preparation step, the scraping speed was 1 m / min to 10 m / min, and the oven temperature was 100℃ to 200℃. A vertical scraping process was used, where the mesh fabric was conveyed vertically, and coating was applied to both sides simultaneously during this vertical upward conveyance, repeating the scraping process at least three times. Unless otherwise specified, the source and specifications of the same materials are the same in the following examples and comparative examples. The coating thickness on both sides of the PVC coated fabric in the examples and comparative examples was the same, 0.2 mm, which could be controlled by the equipment's online thickness (gram weight) detection system.

[0022] Example 1: An environmentally friendly, highly flame-retardant, highly weldable, low-cost PVC coated fabric

[0023] Part 1: Materials

[0024] In this embodiment, the PVC coated fabric mesh material is PET mesh.

[0025] The composition of the PVC coating material is as follows (by weight):

[0026] 100 parts of polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC resin);

[0027] Plasticizer: 50 parts of diphenyl phthalate (DPHP);

[0028] Liquid stabilizer: 2 parts liquid calcium-zinc stabilizer;

[0029] Antifungal agent: 0.5 parts of salicylaniline;

[0030] UV protectant: UV-531 0.6 parts;

[0031] Flame retardant: 10 parts of halogen-free phosphate ester (WSFR-9702, a liquid flame retardant plasticizer), 8 parts of antimony trioxide, and 15 parts of decabromodiphenyl ethane;

[0032] Fillers and viscosity reducers: 45 parts calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate, 800 mesh particle size), 2 parts D80 solvent oil.

[0033] Part Two: Preparation Method

[0034] (1) Mixing of PVC coating materials: Weigh the corresponding raw materials according to the composition of PVC coating materials and put them into a high-speed mixer to mix evenly. Stop mixing when the temperature reaches 40℃ to obtain the coating cloth coating.

[0035] (2) Preparation of PVC coated fabric: The PET mesh is installed on the coating equipment, the prepared coating material is poured in, and the coating is applied to both sides. At the same time, the oven is turned on for winding. The coating speed is 6m / min, and the oven temperature is 200℃.

[0036] Example 2: An environmentally friendly, highly flame-retardant, highly weldable, low-cost PVC coated fabric

[0037] Compared with Example 1, the difference lies in the following composition of the coating material: 13 parts of halogen-free phosphate ester (WSFR-9702); 7 parts of antimony trioxide; 18 parts of decabromodiphenyl ethane; and 40 parts of calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate).

[0038] The method for preparing the PVC coated fabric in this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0039] Example 3: Performance Testing and Comparison of PVC Coated Fabric

[0040] Part 1: Comparative Example of PVC Coated Fabric

[0041] For material screening and performance comparison, the following comparative example of PVC-coated fabric prepared during the research process is provided (preparation method is the same as in Example 1):

[0042] Comparative Example 1: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is: 15 parts antimony trioxide, 15 parts magnesium hydroxide (no liquid flame retardant plasticizer is used); 60 parts of plasticizer DPHP; and 40 parts of calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate).

[0043] Comparative Example 2: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is: 10 parts of chlorinated paraffin (medium-chain CP-52, which is a liquid flame retardant plasticizer), 10 parts of antimony trioxide, and 13 parts of decabromodiphenyl ethane.

[0044] Comparative Example 3: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is: 10 parts of Lanxess DPK (a liquid flame retardant plasticizer), 10 parts of antimony trioxide, and 15 parts of aluminum hydroxide.

[0045] Comparative Example 4: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is: 10 parts of WSFR-PCF (which is a liquid flame retardant plasticizer), 10 parts of antimony trioxide, 15 parts of magnesium hydroxide; and 40 parts of calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate).

[0046] Comparative Example 5: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is: 10 parts of halogen-free phosphate ester (WSFR-9702), 10 parts of antimony trioxide, 10 parts of bromotriazine; and 50 parts of calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate).

[0047] Comparative Example 6: Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the flame retardant composition of the coating material is as follows: 10 parts of halogen-free phosphate ester (WSFR-9702); 10 parts of antimony trioxide; 20 parts of aluminum hydroxide; and 40 parts of calcium carbonate (heavy calcium carbonate).

[0048] The above comparative examples used low TPP flame retardant plasticizers (such as WSFR-PCF, Lanxess DPK, WSFR-9702), inorganic flame retardants (such as antimony trioxide, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide) and other halogenated flame retardants (such as bromotriazine, decabromodiphenyl ethane) to be compounded and compared, in order to examine the influence of different materials on the performance of PVC coated fabrics.

[0049] Part Two: Performance Testing of PVC Coated Fabric

[0050] (1) Environmental protection and cost considerations

[0051] The TPP content (mass fraction, wt%) in the coating material of the PVC coated fabric was calculated based on the formulations of the comparative examples and embodiments. The TPP content was calculated using the highest content found in the raw materials. Among these, medium-chain CP-52 is listed as a Substance of Very High Concern due to its high durability and bioaccumulation, and therefore does not comply with REACH regulations. WSFR-PCF does not contain TPP, and WSFR-9702 contains TPP at a level below 3500 ppm. The calculation results are shown in Table 1.

[0052] Table 1. Content of hazardous substance TPP in comparative and example samples.

[0053]

[0054] According to the REACH regulation, if an article contains more than 0.1% of a substance on the candidate list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and more than 1 tonne per year per company enters the EU, the manufacturer or importer of the article must notify the European Chemicals Agency.

[0055] As shown in Table 1, the PVC-coated fabrics of Examples 1 and 2 comply with the environmental requirements of the REACH regulation. While the PVC-coated fabrics of Comparative Examples 1, 4, 5, and 6 also comply with the REACH regulation and meet EU import standards, they still fail to meet other requirements. For example, while meeting the BS7837 flame retardancy requirements, the antimony trioxide content in the PVC-coated fabrics of Comparative Examples 1 to 6 is relatively high, leading to excessively high costs (especially in Comparative Example 1). The PVC-coated fabric of Comparative Example 4 exhibits reduced welding performance (see Table 2 below). The PVC-coated fabric of Comparative Example 5 exhibits reduced welding performance, precipitation, and whitening (see Tables 2, 3, and 4 below). The PVC-coated fabric of Comparative Example 6 not only exhibits whitening (see Table 4 below) but also fails to meet the BS7837 flame retardancy requirements (see Table 5 below).

[0056] (2) Welding performance test

[0057] The samples prepared in the comparative examples and embodiments were subjected to welding performance tests, namely high-frequency welding (peel strength) and hot air welding (tear strength) tests. The high-frequency welding current was 1.3 A, the hot air welding temperature was 620℃, and the speed was 5 m / min. The test results are shown in Table 2.

[0058] Table 2 Welding performance data of comparative and example samples

[0059]

[0060] As can be seen from Table 2, the products of Examples 1 and 2, as well as Comparative Examples 1, 2, 3, and 6, exhibited good welding performance.

[0061] The product in Comparative Example 4 exhibited extremely poor weldability, which may be related to the use of WSFR-PCF. It is evident that although Comparative Example 4 used TPP-free WSFR-PCF combined with inorganic flame retardants (such as antimony trioxide and magnesium hydroxide) to improve the product's environmental friendliness (see Table 1 above) and flame retardancy (see Table 5 below), it severely impacted the weldability of the PVC coated fabric, thus affecting the overall performance and usability of the coated fabric. This differs from the performance requirements of other PVC materials, such as PVC films, which have lower weldability requirements.

[0062] The welding performance (peel strength) of Comparative Example 5 was also far inferior to that of Examples 1 and 2. This may be because the brominated triazine flame retardant may precipitate (see the "Precipitation Test" section below), resulting in poor performance of the coated fabric during welding. It is evident that although Comparative Example 5 used a low-TPP WSFR-9702, a TPP-free halogenated flame retardant, and an inorganic flame retardant (such as antimony trioxide) similar to those in Examples 1 and 2, which improved the product's environmental friendliness (see Table 1 above) and flame retardancy (see Table 5 below), it severely affected the high-frequency welding performance of the PVC coated fabric. This differs from the performance requirements of other PVC materials, such as PVC films, which have lower weldability requirements.

[0063] The welding performance of products in Examples 1 and 2, and Comparative Examples 2, 3, and 6, was not significantly different from that of product in Comparative Example 1 (pure inorganic flame retardant), indicating that the flame-retardant plasticizers selected in Comparative Examples 2, 3, 6, and Examples 1 and 2 had no effect on the welding performance of the products. However, as shown in Table 1 and Table 5 below, while meeting the flame retardancy requirements of BS7837, products in Comparative Examples 2 and 3 failed to meet the environmental requirements of the REACH regulation.

[0064] (3) Exudation test

[0065] The samples prepared in the comparative examples and the embodiments were subjected to precipitation tests. The test conditions were: 24 hours at room temperature and 24 hours at 80°C. The presence of precipitates on the sample surface was observed. The test results are shown in Table 3.

[0066] Table 3. Precipitation test results of samples from the comparative example and the embodiment.

[0067]

[0068] As shown in Table 3, the experiment found that the sample of Comparative Example 5 may have precipitation due to the use of bromotriazine, which may also affect the welding performance of the sample.

[0069] (4) Whitening phenomenon test

[0070] The samples prepared in the comparative example and the embodiment were subjected to whitening test. The test method is as follows: Under natural light conditions, the tester observed the surface of the PVC coated fabric with normal vision to check for whitening phenomenon. The test results are shown in Table 4.

[0071] Table 4. Results of whitening detection for comparative and example samples.

[0072]

[0073] As shown in Table 4, the whitening phenomenon observed in Comparative Examples 5 and 6 was mainly due to the inherent properties of bromotriazine and the excessive amount of aluminum hydroxide added (which is necessary to improve flame retardancy). This demonstrates the crucial importance of selecting appropriate flame retardants and designing a suitable formulation. Excessive addition of inorganic flame retardant powder and flame retardant plasticizer can both cause whitening, with inorganic flame retardant powder having a greater impact. For example, 20 parts of the metal oxide (aluminum hydroxide) in Comparative Example 6 resulted in whitening (but 15 parts of aluminum hydroxide in Comparative Example 3 did not exhibit whitening).

[0074] It is evident that even though the product of Comparative Example 6, like that of Examples 1 and 2, used a low-TPP WSFR-9702 compounded with an inorganic flame retardant (such as antimony trioxide), which improved the product's environmental friendliness (see Table 1 above), it still had an leaching problem and could not meet the flame retardant performance requirements of the BS7837 standard.

[0075] (5) Flame retardant properties

[0076] Oxygen index and flame retardant properties were tested on the samples produced in the comparative examples and embodiment examples. The test methods were in accordance with GB / T5454-1997 "Textiles - Test for Flammability - Oxygen Index Method" and BS7837:1996 Flame Retardant Standard: Specification for Flammability of Fabrics for Large Tents and Similar Textile Structures. The test results are shown in Table 5.

[0077] Table 5. Combustion performance test results of comparative and example samples.

[0078]

[0079] As shown in Table 5, except for the product in Comparative Example 6, all other products meet the flame retardant performance requirements of BS7837.

[0080] However, as mentioned earlier, Comparative Example 1, using 15 parts antimony trioxide without flame-retardant plasticizers and / or halogenated flame retardants, met the product performance requirements for flame retardancy and other physical properties. However, while meeting the flame retardancy requirements of BS7837, this resulted in an excessive amount of antimony trioxide (higher than in the examples and other comparative examples), leading to excessively high product costs. Comparative Examples 2 and 3, while meeting the flame retardancy requirements of BS7837, required the use of flame-retardant plasticizers with high TPP content or the highly concerned medium-chain CP-52, resulting in non-compliance with REACH regulations. While meeting the flame retardancy requirements of BS7837, the flame-retardant plasticizer in Comparative Example 4 affected weldability; and the brominated triazine in Comparative Example 5 caused precipitation problems and reduced weldability.

[0081] This study also found that although Comparative Example 6 uses a compound formulation of halogen-free phosphate ester (flame retardant plasticizer) + antimony trioxide (metal oxide flame retardant) + aluminum hydroxide (metal hydroxide) flame retardant, which can meet the product performance requirements of high weldability, low cost, and no precipitation (although the whitening problem still exists), it still cannot meet the high flame retardancy standard of BS7837. For example, the formulation system designed by CN202411120285.2 also cannot meet the flame retardancy standard of BS7837.

[0082] In summary, extensive screening tests revealed that due to the complex interactions between the coating materials of PVC coated fabrics, existing materials make it extremely difficult for PVC coated fabrics to simultaneously meet the comprehensive performance requirements of BS7837 standard compliance, environmental protection (REACH compliance), weldability, low cost, and no exudation or whitening. However, this invention unexpectedly yields an environmentally friendly, weldable, low-cost coated fabric that meets BS7837 standard requirements while simultaneously satisfying the comprehensive performance requirements of BS7837 standard compliance, environmental protection (REACH compliance), weldability, low cost, and no exudation or whitening. This facilitates the high-quality development of PVC coated fabric products, combining the advantages of green environmental protection and cost reduction and efficiency improvement; it helps drive the PVC materials industry towards a greener and more sustainable direction, injecting new vitality into the industry's long-term development.

Claims

1. An environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard, comprising a base fabric and a coating material coated on both sides of the base fabric, characterized in that, The coating material, by weight, is made from the following raw materials: 100 parts PVC resin, 40-60 parts plasticizer, 1-3 parts liquid stabilizer; 0.2-0.8 parts mildew inhibitor; 0.4-1.0 parts UV stabilizer; 10-13 parts WSFR-9702, 7-9 parts antimony trioxide, 15-18 parts decabromodiphenyl ethane; 40-50 parts filler; and 1-3 parts viscosity reducer.

2. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plasticizer is at least one of diphenyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, and dioctyl adipate.

3. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid stabilizer is at least one of liquid barium-zinc stabilizer and liquid calcium-zinc stabilizer.

4. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filler is calcium carbonate.

5. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antifungal agent is at least one of salicylaniline, pentachlorophenol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline copper.

6. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UV protectant is at least one of UV-531 and UV-1577.

7. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The viscosity reducer is selected from at least one of D60 solvent oil, D70 solvent oil, and D80 solvent oil.

8. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base fabric is PET mesh.

9. A method for preparing an environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: S1 Coating material mixing: Weigh the corresponding raw materials according to the composition of the coating material and put them into a high-speed mixer to mix evenly. Stop mixing when the temperature reaches 30℃~50℃ to obtain the coating cloth coating. S2 Coated Fabric Preparation: The base fabric is installed on a coating equipment, the prepared coating material is poured in, and the coating is applied to both sides. At the same time, the oven is turned on for winding. The coating speed is 1m / min to 10m / min, and the oven temperature is 100℃ to 200℃.

10. The environmentally friendly, weld-resistant, low-cost coated fabric conforming to BS7837 standard according to claim 9, characterized in that, The coating process employs a vertical coating technique.

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