Federal-Mogul develops breakthrough FR yarn for transportation

25 May 2010, Southfield, MI - Federal-Mogul Corporation has announced it has developed what it believes to be the world's first Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) yarn to meet both halogen-free flame-retardant regulations and the "no flaming drip" requirement. Federal-Mogul says that until now, no commercially available, zero-halogen flame-retardant Polyethylene Terephthalate has been able to meet this requirement, known as the UL 1441 VW-1 flame test. Federal-Mogul is now developing commercialization plans to enable volume manufacture of fabrics made from the new material.

PET is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibres; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fibre. Some of the trade names of PET textile products are Dacron, Diolen, Tergal, Terylene, and Trevira fibres.

“Fire in an enclosed space, such as an aircraft or a railroad car, is extremely dangerous as occupants can die from smoke inhalation even before there is any danger from the flames. Flame-retardant materials are used to delay the spread of fire, but unlike Federal-Mogul's Polyethylene Terephthalate yarn, these typically contain halogenated substances that emit thick black smoke and toxic gases,” the company said in a statement yesterday.

“Polyethylene Terephthalate yarn meets many of the processing and functional requirements for textiles used in interior vehicle trim and in wiring harness insulation that have applications in vehicles for land, water and air. International regulations pertaining to flame-retardant properties, however, include a requirement that "no flaming drips" are released when the material burns. Federal-Mogul's new Polyethylene Terephthalate yarn meets this requirement as well.”

"We see a substantial global market for Federal-Mogul's new flame retardant material that offers an unprecedented level of protection and may be the first of its kind in the world," said Ramzi Hermiz, senior vice president, Federal-Mogul Vehicle Safety and Protection. "With a growing public transport infrastructure around the world, as well as the potential for its use in buildings and other stationary applications, we believe that adoption of this new Federal-Mogul technology could improve world-class safety standards and help save lives."

The innovation behind this breakthrough is said to be the use of a combination of two carefully selected melamine-based flame retardant materials. As the materials decompose they absorb heat, cooling the adjacent burning material and forming a char that prevents the formation of burning drips. Constituents of the new material also vaporize, reducing the surface temperature by diluting the oxygen that would otherwise feed the fire.

According to Federal-Mogul, extrusion of the material into a continuous monofilament thread is made possible by a combination of proprietary additives and highly engineered compounding and extrusion processes. The company expects to create a new generation of exceptional flame-resistant products.

"We are experts in developing innovative systems protection technologies, and we are moving quickly to adapt this product to multiple industries," explains Jan Maiden, vice president, sales and engineering, Systems Protection. "Our next step is to adapt this leading technology innovation to different mass-produced textiles."

Federal-Mogul Corporation is a leading global supplier of powertrain and safety technologies, serving the world's foremost original equipment manufacturers of automotive, light commercial, heavy-duty, agricultural, marine, rail, off-road and industrial vehicles, as well as the worldwide aftermarket.