Thermoplastic polymer composition, products formed therefrom

Abstract: A fire resistant non-halogenated and flexible polymer composition comprises a polymer mixture with an inorganic filler. The polymer mixture comprises - as an elastomer component, an ethylene-copolymer or mixed polymerisate with a comonomer portion of at least 38% consisting of unsaturated ester comonomers, the elastomer being present in an amount by weight of least 50% of the polymer mixture, - as a plastomer component an ethylene-copolymer with an ethylene portion of at least 70%, the plastomer compo­ nent being present in an amount by weight of at most 50% of the polymer mixture. The filler is a metal hydroxide used in an amount of 180 to 320% of the polymer mixture. The composition is particularly useful as sheathing for a cable. An extruder for processing the composition is also described.

Description: THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTS FORMED THEREFROM The invention relates to a fire resistant, non-halogenated flexible thermoplastic polymer composition and products formed therefrom. For many applications, in particular, for cable sheathing, synthetic materials are required which are non-combustible or not easily inflammable and which have good mechanical strength. Since synthetic materials containing halogens cause secondary damage when burning due to the development of harmful gases, for example corrosive hydrochloric acid gas, combustible cross-linked polyethylene mixed with inorganic additives giving fire-resistance has been used. However, the manufacturing costs are relatively high in comparison with PVC for example, since adequate mechanical strength could only be achieved by cross-linking. In addition, polyethylene is only receptive to fillers in a known degree, since with an excessively high filler content the mixtures become stiff, have inadequate mechanical cohesion and are difficult to process. The composition known from German Offenlegungsschrift 25 54 802, contains 179-277% by weight filler but does not have to satisfy high requirements as regards mechanical strength and would not be suitable for example for cable sheathing or cable insulations. US-A-3 832 326 describes a flame retardant composition which comprises a cross-linkable polymeric component containing at least 66% by weight of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a vinyl alkoxy silane, and 80 to 400 parts (per 100 parts of the polymeric component) of hydrated aluminium oxide containing chemically bound water. The vinyl siloxane is present in an amount of 0.5 to 5 parts per 100 parts of hydrated aluminium oxide. The preferred ethylene vinyl acetate for use in the composition described in US-A-3 832 326 contains at least 9% by weight vinyl acetate (balance ethylene). The preferred maximum vinyl acetate content is indicated to be 40% by weight with a more preferred maximum of 28% by weight since above this level the tensile and ultimate elongation are said to suffer. Additionally properties such as tensile strength and percent retention of elongation after ageing are undesirably lowered if the silane is omitted. The composition described in US-A- 3 832 326 generally also includes a cross-linking agent since it is in the cross-linked form that the product is most preferably used. It is an object of the invention to provide an economical polymer composition, which on the one hand is fire-resistant despite the absence of halogens and on the other hand has mechanical strength and can be processed satisfactorily. According to the present invention there is provided a fire-retardant, non-halogenated thermoplastic composition with sufficient mechanical strength for the sheathing or insulation of cables, the composition consisting essentially of a polymer mixture of ethylene copolymers and a metal hydroxide filler and optionally further fillers and/or additives characterised in that the polymer mixture comprises at least 50% by weight of an elastomer and 5 to 50% by weight of a plastomer, that the elastomer is an ethylene copolymer with at least 38% by weight consisting of vinyl acetate comonomer, that the plastomer is an ethylene copolymer with an ethylene portion of at least 70% by weight and a comonomer portion selected from vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate or butyl acrylate, and that the metal hydroxide filler is used in an amount of 180 to 320 percent by weight of the polymer mixture. The vinyl acetate comonomer in the elastomer is economical and produces a composition which can be processed particularly well. Preferably also the elastomer component amounts to 60-80% of the weight of the polymer mixture. Such amounts of elastomer produce a high-strength composition which can be extruded without plasticiser. The composition of the invention is particularly useful as sheathing or insulation for cable, (for example an electrical or communication cable). The material is preferably unfoamed in order to achieve the desired high mechanical properties. The polymer composition of the invention may be processed by an extruder characterised by having a screw with the following features: feed zone having a progressive core with a length of 7-17D, preferably 10-15D (D equals diameter of the screw), with a channel depth of 0.08-0.19D for D 90mm or 0.01D to 0.24D for D 90mm with a compression of 1:1.05 to 1:1.7, preferably 1:1.2 to 1:1.5, a low-compression metering zone with a length of 4-13D, preferably 5-8D, with a channel depth of 0.08-0.18 for D < 90 mm or 0.1D-0.22D for D>90 mm with a compression of 1:1 to 1:1.2, preferably 1:1. This extruder is particularly advantageous for processing the compositions according to the invention. The thermoplastic or thermoelastic polymer composition according to the invention can be produced economically, since no cross-linking is necessary and the proportion of economical fillers is high. Nevertheless surprisingly high tensile strengths and compression strengths occur, which can even be higher than with PVC. The high degree of filling with metal hydroxides, such as aluminium hydroxide in particular, provides extraordinarily good fire-resistance (oxygen index). When used for cables, in the case of fire, an ash structure remains, which guarantees that the electrical insulating property is maintained. At a temperature of 850°C, emergency operating characteristics last for a period of at least twenty minutes, as was previously possible solely when using cross-linked synthetic materials. The plastomer constituent of the composition according to the invention increases the mechanical strength on account of the high proportion of ethylene comonomer. . The high degree of filling with metal hydroxide is possible with the addition according to the invention of the plastomer component, which is either ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or more preferably ethylene ethyl acrylate (EEA) or ethylene butyl acrylate (EBA) or a mixture thereof, in which case astonishingly high strength factors are achieved without cross-linking and despite an extremely high degree of filling with metal hydroxide. The processing of the composition in mixers and extruders is very good despite the high degree of filling and without the use of plasticisers which are themselves normally flammable. On account of the plastomer component, the temperatures during processing of compositions according to the invention, for example in a plunger kneading machine, must be greater than 100°C, but if possible greater than 120°C. However, since polar mixtures of this type tend to stick to metals the wall of the kneading machine must be cool during processing. In this case temperatures of less than 50°C are desirable and a temperature of 80°C should not be exceeded. If a parting compound is used, it should preferably be one of a fire-resistant grade. When processing compositions according to the invention in an extruder, for example for the manufacture of cable sheathing, a particularly high throughput of material can be achieved without problems if the extruder screw is constructed as described above. In this case it has been found that only two functional zones are necessary, namely a feed zone and a metering zone. Experiments with screws of different dimensions produced the result that, with the parameters indicated for the extruder screw in which a low compression or even compression-free metering zone is important, high manufacturing speeds are possible with a relatively low drive power. The advantageous properties of some compositions according to the invention are illustrated in the following non-limiting examples: The compositions of Examples 1 and 2 are particularly suitable for cable sheathing and that of Example 3 for the core insulation of a cable. In the Examples EVA stands for ethylene vinyl acetate and VA for vinyl acetate. Example 1 EVA-elastomer (40% VA) 65 parts EVA-plastomer (9% VA) 35 parts Aluminium hydroxide 200 parts Anox HB, age resistor 1 part Carbon black F.E.F. 2.5 parts Tensile strength : 8 N/mm² Breaking elongation : 150% Oxygen index greater than 45. Example 2 Tensile strength : 7.5-9N/mm² Breaking elongation : 140-190% Oxygen index approximately : 45-50 Example 3 Tensile strength : 7-8 N/mm² Breaking elongation : 150-180% Oxygen index : LO1 ≧ 45 Example 4 EVA-elastomer (45% VA) 60 parts EBA-copolymer (17% BA) 40 parts Aluminium Hydroxide 150 parts Magnesium Hydroxide 50 parts Parting Compound 5 parts ANOX HB, (Age Resister) 1 part TiO₂ 1 part Tensile Strength : 8-9N/mm² Breaking Elongation : 200% approx Oxygen Index : > 45 Example 5 EVA-elastomer (45% VA) 60 parts EEA-copolymer (19%EA) 40 parts Aluminium Hydroxide 260 parts Flectol H Age Resister 1 part Carbon Black FEF 2 parts Parting Compound 5 parts Tensile strength : 8-9 N/mm² Breaking elongation : 180-200% Oxygen Index : 50 approx In these mixtures, aluminium hydroxide with a specific surface of the particles of more than 6 m²/gram was chosen. Particularly advantageous results for the oxygen index and strength occurred with specific surfaces of more than 10m²/gram. Good results were also obtained when using magnesium hydroxide with a particle size of preponderantly < 44 µm. Naturally, additional fillers such as for example kaolin, talcum, metal carbonates such as chalk and magnesium carbonate can also be added to the mixtures according to the invention. Also other additives such as additional polymers, age resisters and auxiliary processing means can be added. The polymer mixtures according to the invention also have outstanding mechanical strength factors, even without cross-linking and withstand the strictest fire tests. Although not in accordance with the invention, increasing the strength still further by cross-linking using peroxide or by irradiation with high energy rays, is conceivable in special cases. Mixtures according to the invention have good electrical properties (for use as insulating mixtures) and therefore can also be used for high quality electrical cables such as communications cables, coaxial cables or high voltage cables. The compositions according to the invention are very suitable for jacketing or sheathing of cables with high quality thermoplastic insulations, such as energy cables, high frequency cables and telecommunication cables etc., and also those with insulations with air spaces (like PE-CELL and PE-DISC). In this case there is no danger of the core insulations deforming or melting, because the long residence time necessary in the case of CV-vulcanization, at high pressure and high temperature, is dispensed with. Naturally, the use of compositions according to the invention is not restricted to electrical cables, but can be used where ever economical, fire-resistant materials, which are mechanically strong without cross-linking, are required. Processing to form elongated, flat products such as sheets, tapes, foils and sectional members is quite possible. One such example of a flat product is one for use as a floor covering, e.g. a tile.

Claims: A fire-retardant, non-halogenated thermoplastic composition with sufficient mechanical strength for the sheathing or insulation of cables, the composition consisting essentially of a polymer mixture of ethylene copolymers and a metal hydroxide filler and optionally further fillers and/or additives characterised in that the polymer mixture comprises at least 50% by weight of an elastomer and 5 to 50% by weight of a plastomer, that the elastomer is an ethylene copolymer with at least 38% by weight consisting of vinyl acetate comonomer, that the plastomer is an ethylene copolymer with an ethylene portion of at least 70% by weight and a comonomer portion selected from vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate or butyl acrylate, and that the metal hydroxide filler is used in an amount of 180 to 320 percent by weight of the polymer mixture. Polymer composition according to claim 1, characterised in that, in order to achieve a high-strength mixture which can also be extruded without plasticizer, the elastomer component amounts to 60-80% of the weight of the polymer mixture. A cable having sheathing or insulation which comprises the composition of claim 1 or 2. An elongate product or a flat product formed from the composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2. A product as claimed in claim 4 which is a sectional member. A product as claimed in claim 4 which is a floor covering. A product as claimed in claim 6 which is a tile.

Inventors: IVANFY BARTHOLOMEUS DIPL-ING, MAYER HANS-ANTON DIPL-ING, PARMAR DALJIT DIPL-ING, IVANFY, BARTHOLOMEUS, DIPL.-ING., MAYER, HANS-ANTON, DIPL.-ING., PARMAR, DALJIT, DIPL.-ING.
Applicants: LINDSAY & WILLIAMS LTD, LINDSAY & WILLIAMS LIMITED
Application year: 1981
Main classification: C08L23
IPC codes: C08K3, C08L23, H01B3