Are there opportunities in tin application of flame retardants?
- time:
- 2019-05-11
According to estimates by the International Antimony Organization, ATO production totaled 130,000 tons in 2013. ITRI estimates that 110,000 tons are used as flame retardants, while 325 tons are used for zinc stannate in this field.
Antimony trioxide (ATO) is under renewed pressure because of its application in halogen flame retardants, which makes tin applications in this field face future growth opportunities again. Zinc stannate is an effective substitute for this compound.
As a technology incubator for ICL-IP, the major flame retardant manufacturer, ICL Innovation Company has provided research sponsorship funds to develop cheap alternatives to ATO for sustainability and abundant supply, taking into account price fluctuations and the need for sustained innovation in this field (click here).
Zinc stannate, developed by ITRI in the mid-1980s, is regarded as a safe and low toxic substitute for ATO used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other halogenated polymers. They can partially replace ATO in some formulations of flame retardant materials and have an effect when a small amount of plasticizer is used. For rigid or semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride and other materials, it may also be completely replaced.
According to estimates by the International Antimony Organization, ATO production totaled 130,000 tons in 2013. ITRI estimates that 110,000 tons are used as flame retardants, while 325 tons are used for zinc stannate in this field. If half of the ATOs in this data were replaced by zinc stannate, it would be equivalent to about 25,000 tons of tin per year. Therefore, any indication that industrial manufacturers are under pressure to consider ATO alternatives is crucial.
