Wacker to launch fire-retardant silicones at Fakuma

ERJ staff report (DS)

Munich - Wacker Chemie will be presenting two new liquid silicone rubber grades at this year's Fakuma tradeshow: Elastosil LR 3011/50 FR and Elastosil LR 3170/40. The US testing institute Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has given these highly flame resistant products its very best flammability rating (V-0).

Wacker said the new grades also exhibit considerably less abrasive behaviour during the injection moulding process, thereby reducing abrasion in the mould and reducing costs.

Up to now, the way to render liquid silicone rubber grades flame resistant was to add inert fillers such as quartz. These types of fillers, however, result in increased material abrasion during the injection moulding process. Such abrasion, which is especially evident in the sprue portion of the injection mould, shortens maintenance intervals and leads to costly mould reworking.

Wacker said the new grades are formulated with special inert fillers that work together to produce outstanding flame-retardant properties without the use of abrasive additives. The result is a clear reduction in mould fouling over traditional flame-resistant liquid silicone rubber grades, and this, in turn, significantly extends equipment life and offers considerable process-cost advantages.

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Press release from Wacker