Magnesium Hydroxide Flame Retardant with Transitional Metals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardants do not adequately enhance flame retardancy, reduce carbon monoxide yield, or decrease smoke quantity in resin molded articles during combustion.

Innovation Solution

A magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardant containing transitional metal compounds like copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and titanium, with specific content ranges to promote carbonization and oxygen insulation, reducing smoke and carbon monoxide production when incorporated into resin compositions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardants with transitional metal compounds are used to enhance flame retardancy, then flame retardancy is improved, but carbon monoxide yield and smoke quantity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflame retardancyVSAvoidcarbon monoxide yield and smoke quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the content of transitional metal compounds in the magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardant. Specifically, it sets the total content of copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and titanium compounds within 0.001-0.01 mass%, and further restricts copper, cobalt, and nickel to 0.0001-0.005 mass%. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal metal content range that enhances flame retardancy while minimizing harmful combustion products.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining magnesium hydroxide with specific transitional metal compounds (copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, titanium) in controlled amounts. This composite approach creates a synergistic effect where the metal compounds catalyze the decomposition of magnesium hydroxide to release water, enhancing flame retardancy while the controlled composition prevents excessive carbon monoxide and smoke generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If polyolefin-based resin is used instead of polyvinyl-chloride-based resin to reduce smoke emission, then smoke emission is reduced, but combustibility increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke emissionVSAvoidcombustibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing flame retardant properties specifically to the polyolefin-based resin through additive incorporation. The resin itself maintains its inherent properties, while the magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardant with transitional metal compounds provides localized flame suppression capability, allowing the material to remain combustible when needed but resist flame propagation under fire conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining polyolefin-based resin with magnesium-hydroxide-based flame retardant containing transitional metal compounds. This composite structure allows the resin to benefit from both the low smoke emission characteristics of polyolefin and the flame retardancy enhancement provided by the metal-containing flame retardant, resolving the contradiction between combustibility and smoke emission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If transitional metal compounds are reduced to less than 0.01 mass% to resist thermal degradation, then thermal degradation resistance is improved, but flame retardancy contribution is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal degradation resistanceVSAvoidflame retardancy
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by establishing an optimal concentration range for transitional metal compounds that balances thermal stability and flame retardancy. It specifies total metal content of 0.001-0.01 mass% and restricts copper, cobalt, and nickel to 0.0001-0.005 mass%, while allowing zinc and titanium up to 0.005-0.01 mass%. This precise parameter control ensures sufficient flame retardancy contribution while maintaining thermal degradation resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite materials with carefully formulated transitional metal compound compositions. The specific combination and concentration ranges of copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and titanium compounds create a synergistic system that provides adequate flame retardancy even at low metal contents (0.001-0.01 mass%), thereby maintaining thermal stability while achieving fire safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 achieves high flame retardancy, reduced smoke, and lower carbon monoxide yields in molded articles, while maintaining color neutrality and mechanical properties.

Implementation Method 1

the at least one transitional metal compound is contained with the content of 100 to 1000 mass ppm in terms of metals... a resin molded article compounded with the flame retardant exhibits a high level of flame retardancy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCarbonization:

Implementation Method 2

promote carbonization and oxygen insulation, reducing smoke and carbon monoxide production

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxygen insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 3

the at least one transitional metal compound is selected from a group consisting of copper compound, cobalt compound, nickel compound, zinc compound and titanium compound

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 4

magnesium-hydroxide particles that contain at least one transitional metal compound... when the resin molded article is combusted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal decomposition: Pyrolysis

Implementation Method 5

reducing smoke and carbon monoxide production when incorporated into resin compositions... yields less quantity of carbon monoxide when combusted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 6

capable of enhancing flame retardancy of a resin molded article when compounded into a resin and reducing carbon monoxide yield and smoke quantity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadical scavenging:

Data Source

PatentUS7816440B2Flame retardant, flame-retardant resin composition and molded body
Publication Date: 2010.10.19 KONOSHIMA CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

A flame retardant includes magnesium-hydroxide particles that contain at least one transitional metal compound. The at least one transitional metal compound is at least one compound selected from a group consisting of copper compound, cobalt compound, nickel compound, zinc compound and titanium compound. The at least one transitional metal compound is contained in the magnesium-hydroxide particles with the content of 100 to 1000 mass ppm in terms of metals. In addition, the total content of the copper compound, the cobalt compound and the nickel compound is 1000 mass ppm in terms of metals or less while the total content of the zinc compound and the titanium compound is 1000 mass ppm or less.