PVC Cable Jacket Flame Retardant Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Developing a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacket composition for riser and plenum cables that meets UL 910, NFPA 262, and UL 1666 specifications while maintaining low flammability at a reduced cost, as traditional additives like bromine and antimony are costly.

Innovation Solution

A PVC jacket composition incorporating polyvinyl chloride resin, plasticizer, ammonium octamolybdate, molybdate compound, stabilizer, lubricant, aluminum trihydrate, and optional metal oxide particles, PTFE, intumescent compounds, or their combinations, with specific components present at controlled parts per hundred rubber (phr) levels, to achieve the required fire and smoke retardation characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional flame retardant additives like bromine and antimony are used in PVC jacket composition, then flame retardation performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflame retardation performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by substituting traditional bromine and antimony additives with alternative flame retardant compounds, achieving the same fire safety performance while reducing material costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs cost-effective flame retardant additives that provide necessary fire protection without requiring expensive traditional chemicals, making the cable jacket more economically viable while maintaining safety standards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If cable jackets are designed to meet plenum fire safety standards, then flame spread is reduced, but material composition complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflame spreadVSAvoidmaterial composition complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite PVC jacket formulation integrating multiple flame retardant compounds and additives that work synergistically to achieve plenum fire safety standards while managing composition complexity through careful material selection and proportioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-generated harmful factors

If aluminum trihydrate is used as flame retardant in cable jacket, then smoke generation is reduced, but processing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke generationVSAvoidprocessing difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the particle size, distribution, and concentration parameters of aluminum trihydrate within the PVC compound to reduce smoke generation during combustion while maintaining processability and avoiding excessive processing difficulty

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 composition effectively reduces flammability and smoke generation, meeting stringent fire and smoke retardation standards while minimizing the use of expensive additives, thereby offering a cost-effective solution for cable jackets.

Implementation Method 1

aluminum trihydrate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEndothermic decomposition: Endothermic Reaction

Implementation Method 2

ammonium octamolybdate, a molybdate compound

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal decomposition: Pyrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS9812231B2Jacket composition for riser and plenum cables
Publication Date: 2017.11.07 GENERAL CABLE TECH CORP

AI summary

The present invention relates to materials for making cable jackets, particularly for riser and plenum cables. The materials provide low flammability and allow the cable to meet UL 910 or NFPA-262 or UL 1666 specifications. The composition contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, a plasticizer, ammonium octamolybdate, a molybdate compound, a stabilizer, a lubricant, aluminum trihydrate, and either i) metal oxide particles, ii) a polytetrafluoroehtylene (PTFE), iii) an intumescent compound, or iv) combinations thereof.