Abstract
This study focused on the production of the flame retardant sheath material used in electric distribution lines, that is produced by doping. When reviewing the studies carried out so far, Aluminium Hydroxide Al(OH)3 (ATH), Magnesium Hydroxide Mg(OH)2 (MDH) were found to be used as Halogen-Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) materials. In addition to these two compounds, the study was carried out with three flame retardant materials by using the flame retardant property of the Zinc Borate compound. In the study, the design of the experimental method was used to optimize the maximum tensile strength, elongation and Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of composites and define the most suitable composition. Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) were used as polymer matrices. The weight percent of Al(OH)3, Mg(OH)2, ZnB2O4 compounds were taken to be input variables, and the maximum tensile strength, elongation, and Limiting Oxygen Index values of the composites to be output variables for using in ECHIP-7 software that is a design of experiment program. At the end of the study, 40 %w of polymer, 30%w of ATH, and 30%w MDH was selected to be an optimum composition for the HFFR sheath material. Given the optimum parameters criteria, it was also seen that there is no need for Zinc Borate usage in the optimum composition. The optimum composition was used as cable sheath material, and electrical, mechanical, and burning tests were applied to the produced new cable.