From an early age, we are all taught to respect fire and take necessary safety precautions. While we can never entirely eliminate the risk of fires, advancements in materials science have greatly improved our ability to minimize the destruction.
One exciting innovation is the category of flame-retardant adhesives. These products are specifically designed to slow (or stop) the spread of flames and mitigate other dangerous effects of fire. Several industries have flammability guidelines and can benefit from fire-resistant products, including aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, maritime, and public transportation.
Importance of fire-retardant products in industrial applications
As you can imagine, a fire can lead to devastating consequences. Today, many industrial components are made with fire-resistant materials. Flame-retardant adhesives provide further protection if the substrate deteriorates or loosens, exposing the adhesive to the flame. Also, some composite materials are not ideal for traditional mechanical fasteners, making adhesives a viable solution.
Flame-resistant adhesives can be used in bonding, masking, and damping tapes for a wide range of surfaces, including polyester, polypropylene, ABS, stainless steel, polyethylene, polycarbonate, and aluminum.
Typical industrial applications for flame-resistant adhesives include:
- Floor coverings
- Textiles
- Electrical conduits
- Housing coverings
- Air ducting
- Engine compartment coverings
- Panel attachment
Benefits of flame-retardance adhesives
What qualifies an adhesive as being flame-retardant? Compared to traditional adhesives, these products must demonstrate four unique attributes.
- Meet flame-retardance specifications – Adhesives must be proven to resist burning or be self-extinguishing. Flame retardance is measured by burn rate and tested with the material in horizontal and vertical positions.
- Maintains strength – In addition to providing excellent adhesion upon application, flame-retardant adhesives must also maintain structural integrity at high temperatures. This property ensures that components remain secure even in the event of a fire.
- Low smoke emission – When exposed to fire, flame-retardant adhesives produce minimal smoke that could be harmful if inhaled.
- Non-toxic – If a flame-retardant adhesive is heated beyond its decomposition temperature, it will not release toxic by-products such as halogenated compounds.
Custom converting of flame-resistant adhesives
Leveraging our close relationships with leading adhesive producers, Tapecon can help you select the optimal flame-resistant adhesive for your industrial application. From there, we have a full suite of custom converting and printing capabilities to produce high-quality products that meet industry requirements and keep your people as safe as possible.
Let’s make something great
With over 100 years of manufacturing experience, Tapecon works with product teams to solve challenges, create products, and enhance lives. Learn more about our custom materials converting services.
