Investigation of the Effect of Huntit Filler on Flame Retardancy and Mechanical Properties of Silicone Rubber-based Materials in Cable Applications

Year 2023, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 107 - 116, 21.12.2023

Halil Can Uğraşkan , Fatma Sevde Duman , Serkan Emik

https://doi.org/10.56171/ojn.1400079

Abstract

Silicone rubber is an organic/inorganic hybrid macromolecular polymer with properties such as fire resistance, strength, flexibility, chemical resistance, thermal stability, hydrophobicity, dielectric characteristics, resistance to environmental conditions, and biocompatibility. It is an elastomer and exhibits high-performance characteristics compared to most materials in its class. Its current properties and the relative ease of enhancing its characteristics have significantly increased the industrial utilization of silicone rubber. Due to its mineral structure, silicone rubber is frequently used as an insulating material to ensure circuit integrity in the production of fire-resistant cables. It exhibits low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) characteristics, with low level release of toxic gases as a result of combustion reactions. In this study, silicone rubber compounds including a natural mineral Huntite with improved fire-resistant properties compared to standard silicone materials suitable for cable production were prepared. After cable production the fire performance properties alongside the physico-mechanical characteristics of the final products were examined. To determine the flame retardancy of the material, limiting oxygen index (LOI%) and fire performance tests were performed according to the ISO 4589-2 and BS 6387 standards, respectively. The results show that Huntite is a suitable alternative material to improve silicone materials' flame resistance.

Keywords

Silicone rubber, Huntite-Hydromagnesite, Fire-retardant, Cable, Fire tests

Supporting Institution

2M Kablo San. Tic. A.Ş.

Project Number

AGM22C010523

Huntit Dolgusunun Silikon Kauçuk Üzerinde Alev Geciktirici ve Mekanik Özelliklerine Etkisinin Kablo Uygulamalarında İncelenmesi

Abstract

Silikon kauçuk, yangına dayanıklılık, mekanik dayanıklılık, esneklik, kimyasal direnç, termal stabilite, hidrofobiklik, dielektrik karakteristikleri, çevresel koşullara karşı direnç ve biyolojik uyumluluk gibi özelliklere sahip organik/inorganik hibrid bir makromoleküler polimerdir. Elastomer sınıfındaki çoğu malzeme ile karşılaştırıldığında yüksek performans özellikleri sergiler. Sahip olduğu bu özellikler ve bu özelliklerin geliştirilmesinin göreceli kolay olması, silikon kauçuğun sanayide kullanımını önemli ölçüde artırmaktadır. Mineral yapısı nedeniyle silikon kauçuk yangına dayanıklı kabloların üretiminde devre bütünlüğünü sağlamak için bir yalıtkan malzeme olarak sıkça kullanılmaktadır. Yanma reaksiyonları sonucunda toksik gazların düşük seviyede salınımı ile düşük duman ve sıfır halojen (LSZH) özelliklerine sahiptir. Bu çalışmada, kablo üretimine uygun standart silikon malzemelere göre yangına dayanıklılık özellikleri geliştirilmiş, doğal bir mineral olan Huntit içeren silikon kauçuk bileşikleri hazırlanmıştır. Kablo üretiminden sonra nihai ürünün fiziko-mekanik özelliklerinin yanı sıra yangın performans özellikleri de incelenmiştir. Kabloların alev geciktirici özelliklerini belirlemek için ISO 4589-2 ve BS 6387 standartlarına göre sırasıyla sınırlı oksijen indeksi (LOI%) ve yangın performans testleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sonuçlar Huntitin silikon malzemelerin alev direncini arttırmak için uygun bir alternatif malzeme olduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

Silikon kauçuk, Huntit-Hidromagnezit, Alev geciktirici, Kablo, Alev testleri

Supporting Institution

2M Kablo San. Tic. A.Ş.

Project Number

AGM22C010523

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