Development of flame retardants through renewable sources.
Flame retardants are additives used in formulations of a wide range of plastics, with numerous industrial applications, including packaging, construction, furniture, automotive wiring, among others.
With the growing concerns regarding the safety and efficiency of the compounds used, the fire protection industry is currently at a critical juncture. Therefore, the halogenated compounds are the most used due to their high efficiency in reducing the flammability of the polymeric materials. However, these compounds have serious toxicity problems and persist in the environment.
Starchfire has as its main goal the development of a starch-based flame retardant, which can be used on an industrial scale efficiently in PE formulations for the production of electrical cable sheathing. The new flame retardant developed should not be toxic, must be compatible with the structures of the polymers used in PE formulations, give to the products a high performance and that by being derived from renewable source, reduce the CO2 footprint.
The consortium of this project brings together extensive work experience in the area of synthesis/ modification and characterization of polymers, formulation development and processing. It should also be noted that there is a history of successful collaboration between the leading company Componit and the University of Coimbra. This project fits perfectly into the promoting company's innovation strategy, as it will also be decisive for maintaining the company's competitiveness, and guaranteeing a differentiating position in the international market.
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