Cable systems are one of the key elements of modern infrastructure, providing transmission of both electrical power and data signals. Their reliable operation ensures the stable work of equipment and telecommunication networks, while fire resistance of the cables is essential to maintaining the fire safety of any infrastructure facility.
According to experts, flammable components in wires and cables – primarily the insulation layer and sheath – account for up to 50 % of fires originating from electrical faults. Initial ignition of these materials threatens public and personal safety, compromises the structural integrity of buildings and often results in substantial financial losses.
The cable sheath serves as the primary barrier between the inner cable components and the external environment, significantly influencing fire propagation. Nowadays, cable sheaths are mainly produced from organic polymers such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyethylene. Among these materials, PVC is the predominant material due to its excellent combination of mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties and cost‑effectiveness.
Upon thermal exposure of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds, gaseous hydrogen chloride (HCl) is released due to the presence of chlorine atoms in the polymer structure. The release of HCl contributes to a reduction in the concentration of flammable gases and inhibits the combustion process; however, the overall flame retardant efficacy remains insufficient. Furthermore, combustion of PVC cable sheaths generates large amounts of toxic smoke, posing significant fire safety challenges. This limits the applicability of PVC in environments such as residential and public buildings.
PVC‑based cables are widely utilized across numerous industrial sectors. Consequently, inherently fire‑resistant cables were initially proposed as a primary solution to mitigate fire risks. However, the high cost and limited performance of such solutions have prevented their widespread adoption. In practice, introducing flame retardants into PVC-based cable compounds has become the optimal direction of development, which has significantly improved their fire resistance while maintaining mechanical and electrical properties.
The growing importance of flame retardants – both in PVC plastics and in halogen-free cable compounds (HFFR) is driven by two key factors: the annually increasing global demand for cables with reduced flammability and the stringent fire safety regulations. For example, halogen-free cable materials are now being used more in a wide range of industries, including solar energy, construction, nuclear power, coal mining, and hydrology.
One of the effective solutions in this field is the mineral flame retardant EcoPiren produced by the Brucite+ group of companies. The product is used in the manufacture of cable compounds (PVC and HFFR), aluminum composite panels, roofing membranes (bitumen and TPO) and various engineering plastics.
The base of EcoPiren is a natural magnesium hydroxide – the mineral brucite. The raw materials are extracted from the Kuldur deposit in the Russian Far East, which is currently the only operating brucite mine in Russia. EcoPiren gives non-flammable properties to polymer materials, reduces smoke formation and prevents dripping and the release of toxic combustion products.
The adoption of mineral flame retardants, such as EcoPiren, allows manufacturers to produce cable systems that conform to current fire safety standards.
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