Injection-moulded parts
Polymers: ABS, PP, Nylon (PA6, PA66) and more
Supplied as: Masterbatch
UL 94 V-0 / V-1 / V-2Glow wire
Ask for grades & TDS
Flame Retardant Masterbatch
Halogenated and halogen-free flame retardants for film, filaments, shade nets, ABS, PP and Nylon parts, cables and EPDM. UL 94 V-0 in almost every product.
ISO 9001:2015In-house fire testingMade in Ahmedabad, India
What is flame retardant masterbatch?
Flame retardant (FR) masterbatch is a concentrate of flame retardant additives in a carrier resin, made into granules. You mix it into your polymer during moulding or extrusion, and the finished product resists catching fire, slows the spread of flame and, at the right dosage, puts itself out when the flame is taken away.
Most plastics burn easily, so electrical parts, cables, building and public-space products often have to pass a fire test before they can be sold. The test decides the grade: UL 94 and glow wire for moulded parts, VTM, DIN 4102 B1 or NFPA 701 for film, sheet and nets, and IEC 60332 for cables.
- Chemistry
- Halogenated and halogen-free (HFFR)
- Polymers
- PP, PE, ABS, Nylon, EPDM and other rubbers
- Products
- Film, filaments, shade nets, injection-moulded parts, cables, rubber products
- Rating
- UL 94 V-0 achievable in almost all products
- Supplied as
- FR masterbatch; ready-to-use FR cable compounds
- Testing
- In-house UL 94, glow wire and oxygen index (LOI) testers
What our flame retardants do
From thick moulded parts to thin film and cable.
-
01
V-0: the flame goes out on its own
UL 94 V-0 is the toughest everyday rating for plastic parts: after the test flame is taken away, the part must stop burning within 10 seconds, with no burning drips. We reach V-0 in almost every product we make flame retardants for, from ABS and Nylon housings to PP parts.
-
02
Made for film, filaments and shade nets
Thin products are the hardest to protect, because there is so little material to hold the flame retardant. We make FR grades for blown film, tarpaulin, filaments and shade nets, so the flame doesn't spread across the sheet or up the net.
-
03
FR cable compounds and rubber
Ready-to-use FR cable compounds, halogenated or halogen-free, so a flame doesn't travel along the cable. We also make flame retardants for EPDM and other rubber products.
Flame retardants for every product
Each grade is made for the product, polymer and test it has to pass.
Film and tarpaulin
Polymers: PE, PP
Supplied as: Masterbatch
UL 94 VTMDIN 4102 B1NFPA 701
Ask for grades & TDS
Filaments and shade nets
Polymers: HDPE, PP
Supplied as: Masterbatch
NFPA 701UL 94 VTM
Ask for grades & TDS
Wire and cable
Polymers: Made for your cable
Supplied as: Ready-to-use compound, halogenated or halogen-free
IEC 60332UL 94
Ask for grades & TDS
EPDM and rubber products
Polymers: EPDM and other rubbers
Supplied as: Masterbatch
UL 94Your customer's test
Ask for grades & TDS
Something else?
Tell us your polymer, the thickness and the test it must pass, and we'll make a grade for it.
Talk to usHalogenated or halogen-free?
We make both. The right one depends on your product, your test and where it will be sold.
Halogenated
- How it works
- Stops the burning chemistry in the flame itself
- Dosage
- Lower; works at small additions
- Smoke and gases
- More smoke; gives off halogen gases when burning
- Best for
- Film, filaments, shade nets and parts where cost and a low dosage matter most
Halogen-free HFFR
- How it works
- Cools the plastic and forms a protective char layer
- Dosage
- Higher, so it takes more masterbatch
- Smoke and gases
- Low smoke; no halogen gases
- Best for
- Cables, electronics, public spaces and markets that restrict halogens
Fire testing in our own lab
We run UL 94, glow wire and oxygen index tests in-house, so we can check a grade on your polymer and thickness before it reaches your line.
UL 94 test chamber
Vertical and horizontal burning tests on bars and plaques: V-0, V-1, V-2 and HB.
Glow wire tester
IEC 60695-2 tests up to 960 °C, GWFI and GWIT, for electrical and appliance parts.
Oxygen index (LOI) tester
ISO 4589 and ASTM D2863: the lowest oxygen level at which the plastic keeps burning.
Fire tests, explained
UL 94
UL 94 is the most used flammability test for plastic parts. A flame is held to a bar, vertical or horizontal, and the rating depends on how fast it goes out and whether it drips while burning. A rating always comes with a thickness: V-0 at 1.6 mm is harder to reach than V-0 at 3 mm. Thin film and sheet use the matching VTM-0, VTM-1 and VTM-2 ratings.
- HBA horizontal bar burns slowly, below a set speed, or goes out
- V-2Vertical bar goes out within 30 s; burning drips allowed
- V-1Goes out within 30 s; no burning drips
- V-0Goes out within 10 s; no burning drips
- 5VBSurvives a much larger flame, applied 5 times
- 5VAAs 5VB, and the flame must not burn a hole through
Glow wire
The glow wire test (IEC 60695-2) copies an overheated part inside a device. A loop of wire is heated to a set temperature and pressed into the plastic for 30 seconds, with tissue paper underneath to catch burning drips.
- GWFI
- Glow wire flammability index: the highest temperature at which the plastic goes out within 30 s and doesn't set the paper alight.
- GWIT
- Glow wire ignition temperature: the temperature at which the plastic doesn't catch fire at all.
- Asked for by
- Appliance and electrical parts, often GWFI 850 °C or 960 °C (IEC 60335-1 for household appliances).
Oxygen index
The limiting oxygen index, LOI (ISO 4589, ASTM D2863) is the lowest share of oxygen in the air around a sample that keeps it burning. Air is 21% oxygen, so a plastic with an LOI well above 21% tends to put itself out. Flame retardants raise it.
- Air21%
- PE, PP~17.5%
- ABS~18.5%
- PC~26%
- PVC~45%
Typical values for plain polymers, without flame retardant.
Film & textiles
Film, tarpaulin, tents and nets are tested as hanging sheets, because they burn differently from solid parts.
- NFPA 701
- US test for curtains, tents, tarpaulins, awnings and shade fabric: the flame must go out quickly and drips must not keep burning.
- DIN 4102 B1
- German building class for flame-retardant materials such as building film and facade netting.
- EN 13501-1
- European building classes from A1 to F, with extra marks for smoke (s1 to s3) and burning droplets (d0 to d2).
- UL 94 VTM
- The UL 94 vertical test for thin film and sheet.
Cables
Cables are tested for how far a flame travels along them, and halogen-free cables also for the smoke and gases they give off.
- IEC 60332-1-2
- A single cable hangs vertically under a 1 kW flame. It passes if the char stops at least 50 mm below the top clamp.
- IEC 60332-3
- The same idea for a bunch of cables, as they run in buildings and trays.
- IEC 61034 and IEC 60754
- Smoke density and acid gas tests for low-smoke, halogen-free (LSZH) cables.
Automotive
Car interior materials are tested by burning a horizontal strip.
- FMVSS 302 / ISO 3795
- The flame must spread no faster than 102 mm per minute. Many carmakers set tighter limits in their own specifications.
Frequently asked questions
What is flame retardant masterbatch?
Flame retardant (FR) masterbatch is a concentrate of flame retardant additives in a carrier resin, made into granules. You mix it into your polymer during moulding or extrusion so the finished product resists catching fire, slows the spread of flame and, at the right dosage, puts itself out when the flame is removed.
What does UL 94 V-0 mean?
UL 94 is the most widely used flammability test for plastics. In the vertical test a flame is held to the bottom of a bar twice for 10 seconds. V-0 means the bar stops burning within 10 seconds each time and drops no burning drips. V-1 allows 30 seconds, and V-2 also allows burning drips. A rating always comes with a thickness, and thinner parts are harder to pass.
What is the glow wire test?
The glow wire test (IEC 60695-2) presses a loop of wire, heated to a set temperature between 550 and 960 °C, into the plastic for 30 seconds. It shows how a part behaves when a component overheats. GWFI is the highest temperature at which the plastic goes out within 30 seconds and doesn't set the tissue paper below alight; GWIT is the temperature at which it doesn't catch fire at all. Appliance and electrical parts often need GWFI 850 °C or 960 °C.
Can you reach V-0 in my product?
In almost all products, yes. Tell us your polymer, the thickness of your part and the test it must pass, and we'll recommend a grade and send a sample for a trial on your own line.
Do you test flame retardants in-house?
Yes. We have a UL 94 test chamber, a glow wire tester and an oxygen index (LOI) tester in our own lab, so we can check a grade on your polymer and thickness before it reaches your line.
What is the difference between halogenated and halogen-free flame retardants?
Halogenated flame retardants stop the burning chemistry in the flame and work at lower dosages. Halogen-free flame retardants cool the plastic and form a protective char; they need a higher dosage but give off less smoke and no halogen gases. We make both, and recommend one based on your product, your test and where it will be sold.
Which products and polymers do you make flame retardants for?
Film and tarpaulin, filaments and shade nets, injection-moulded parts in ABS, PP and Nylon, wire and cable, and EPDM and other rubber products. Tell us your polymer if it isn't listed.
Do you make FR cable compounds?
Yes. We make ready-to-use flame retardant cable compounds in both halogenated and halogen-free versions.
How much flame retardant masterbatch do I need to add?
It depends on the polymer, the thickness of the product and the rating it must reach. FR masterbatch is added at a much higher dosage than colour masterbatch, because the flame retardant has to make up a real share of the product. We recommend the dosage with the grade, for your product.
Will flame retardant masterbatch change my product's strength or processing?
Any additive used at a high dosage can change strength, flow and surface finish. That's why we choose the chemistry and dosage for your product, and you confirm it with a trial on your own line before you run it.
Related products
All products
Additive masterbatch
UV, antistatic, optical brightener, anti-yellow and 25+ more.
Black masterbatch
Deep carbon black for PE, PP, PET, Nylon, PC, ABS and more, with UV-stable grades.
Colour masterbatch
Any shade matched to your sample or Pantone / RAL code, for PE, PP, PET, Nylon and 10 more polymers.