Aslanbek Balov, director general of Polykhimgroup On substitution of existing flame retardants with new-generation products

Recent statistics show that the number of fires in the Russian Federation stays at about 250,000 events per year. Annually, 20,000 deaths and direct damages of 4 billion roubles are caused by fires in Russia. The production of fireproof materials is being actively developed in Russia. A legal framework making the use of fire retardants in compounds mandatory is being created in parallel. There are clear distinctions between processes and ingredients meant for electric, electronic, construction, aircraft, and automobile industries.

Refusal to use halogen fire retardants that contaminate the environment becomes a major trend. The recently adopted REACH and WEEE standards restrict, and in certain cases forbid the use of halogen fire retardants. Actually, this means a redistribution of the European market for fire retardants.

Russian manufacturers have to react to the new market situation in a timely manner and choose an optimum feedstock to enter this market with. Aslanbek Balov, CEO of Polykhimgroup reviews basic kinds of feedstock and technologies for manufacturing fireproof materials in his report prepared for the second session of the Russian Congress of Plastic Converters to be held at the Moscow government building in New Arbat.

Vera Myasoedova, professor, chief scientist, Institute of Chemical Physics of the RAS. Wood-polymer and other fibrillar nanocomposites for pressure molding and extrusion applications

Pulp is the most widespread organic polymer on the Earth. Russia possesses 25% of the global reserves of lignocellulose feedstock in the form of forest and annual plants’ wood. Articles made of ecologically pure wood-polymer fibrillar composites are known to have a superior performance.

The report will dwell on how chemical nature, composition and structural features of wood-polymer and other fibrillar composites containing different modifiers affect the material processability using compression and extrusion. Benefits of applying thermoplastic polymer binders based on renewable feedstock in such composites will also be analysed.