Cable Fire-Retardant Gel Composition for Material Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fire-retardant materials for cables, such as telecommunications cables, face challenges in balancing cost and performance while ensuring compatibility with new product materials, necessitating the development of improved formulations.
Innovation Solution
A fire-retardant material composition comprising 25-50% base oil, 0.5-2.5% polymer, and 50-75% flame retardant, specifically using iso-paraffinic white oil, polymer, and metal hydroxides or oxides, processed in two mixing phases to create a gel form, optimizing compatibility and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fire-retardant materials are used in cables, then fire-retardant properties are provided, but compatibility with new product materials is limited and cost-effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the fire-retardant material by incorporating specific polymers (styrene-based di-block co-polymer), antioxidants (phenolic antioxidant with molecular weight 400-1200 g/mol), and metal hydroxides/oxides in optimized proportions. These parameter changes enable the material to maintain fire-retardant performance while achieving compatibility with modern cable materials like polyethylene and polypropylene.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite fire-retardant material combining multiple components: base oil (25-50 wt%), polymer (0.5-2.5 wt%), antioxidant (0.1-1.0 wt%), and flame retardant (50-75 wt%). This composite structure synergistically combines the fire-retardant properties of metal hydroxides with the compatibility and processing benefits of polymers and antioxidants, achieving both performance and adaptability requirements.
2Reliability
If fire-retardant materials with high flame retardant content are used, then fire-retardant properties are improved, but manufacturing complexity and processing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polymers and antioxidants as intermediary substances that facilitate the integration of high concentrations of flame retardants (50-75 wt%) into the cable material matrix. The polymer acts as a binder and compatibilizer, while the antioxidant prevents degradation during processing, thereby enabling the manufacture of high-performance fire-retardant materials without excessive processing difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The optimization of component ratios, particularly maintaining polymer content at 0.5-2.5 wt% and antioxidant at 0.1-1.0 wt%, creates a balanced formulation that achieves high fire-retardant performance while ensuring manufacturability. The specific molecular weight range of the phenolic antioxidant (400-1200 g/mol) is critical for achieving both performance and ease of processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced fire-retardant properties and cost-effectiveness by achieving complete dissolution and de-aeration of the material, resulting in improved compatibility with new cable materials and performance standards.
Implementation Method 1
achieve complete dissolution of the polymer
Implementation Method 2
The heating vessel is heated to a first pre-set temperature, in this embodiment 90° C.
Implementation Method 3
The heating vessel is then heated to a second pre-set temperature, in this embodiment 110° C.
Implementation Method 4
The turbine and shear mixers are then set to operate at 45 Hz for a predetermined period
Implementation Method 5
The plough shear mixer is then set to run at speed 2, with an applied vacuum, for a predetermined period
Data Source
AI summary
A fire-retardant material comprising from 25 to 50 wt % base oil, from 0.5 to 2.5 wt % polymer, from 0.1 to 1.0 wt % antioxidant, and from 50 to 75 wt % flame retardant.