KRAIBURG TPE meets railway standards

KRAIBURG TPE is expanding its flame-retardant product portfolio with innovative materials which, in addition to UL 94 V0, meet DIN 45545-2 for railway applications.

KRAIBURG TPE has extensive experience in the development of TPEs with halogen-free flame-retardant properties. A second product series with a V-0 nonflammability classification at wall thicknesses of 1.5mm in accordance with UL standard 94 V-0 has recently been introduced for multi-component applications with polypropylene.

This series is the only TPE material on the market that meets DIN EN 45545-2 for railway applications. The specially developed materials meet the requirements of R22 and R23 for hazard levels HL1-3 with a wall thickness of up to 3 mm.

UL94 V-0 listed materials are self-extinguishing in case of fire and do not form into burning droplets. The materials meet this requirement without the use of halogen-containing flame retardants. KRAIBURG TPE flame-retardant compounds comply with the IEC 61249-2-21 standard’s definition of halogen-free.

If a fire breaks out, this means more safety for people involved, as less disorientating smoke develops and the flue gas is less toxic. In addition, flame retardants that are free of chlorine and bromine minimize the potential risk of damage to furniture and the building fabric caused by corrosive flue gases that develop when halogenated substances are burnt. Furthermore, their corrosiveness can even have a negative impact on maintaining the properties of old materials and their commercial usability, for example when recycling disused railways. The specialized THERMOLAST® K materials meet these requirements even without halogenated flame-retardants being used.

The first railway applications have already been implemented: TPE compounds from the FR2 series are being used as sealing materials in cable glands and bushings. The materials of this flame-retardant series are produced at all three KRAIBURG TPE production sites in Germany, Malaysia and the USA.