Self-Extinguishing Compounds and Rail Industry: a Growing Dual Concept

Recent innovations in LATI’s self-extinguishing thermoplastic compounds have caught the interest of designers operating in the world of rail transport.

In this regard, a factor of primary interest is the absence of halogenated flame retardants and red phosphorus that characterizes the new HF1 formulations.

This is an essential first step towards the reduction of danger of fumes produced by the materials in case of fire.

Equally important are the certifications of conformity to the requirements of the European industry standard EN45545, which states for each tested compound the suitability for use inside or outside of the car based on the fire behavior, as well as the opacity and toxicity of fumes produced during combustion.

Consisting of PA66 with 25% glass fiber reinforcement, LATAMID 66 H2 G/25-V0HF1 is one of the materials expected to become most successful in the railway sector due to its environmentally friendly self-extinguishing formulation, excellent mechanical properties, and especially its compliance to Hazard Levels HL1 – HL2 – HL3 set out in the EN 45545 standard for use both inside and outside of the car body (R22-R23).

The German world-leading company in the field of filtration systems for gases and liquids, has chosen LATAMID 66 H2 G/25-V0HF1 for the manufacture of the fastening systems used in filter elements for air purification of train compartments.

The choice was conditioned not only by the material approvals as per EN 45545, but also by the excellent self-extinguishing properties of the compound, i.e. UL94-V0 up to 0.75 mm, and high resistance to static and dynamic mechanical stresses.

Finally, dimensional stability is critical for the fastening system, which consists of brackets for which the absence of deformation and compliance with geometric tolerances is a necessary condition for proper functioning.

V0HF1 compound family includes grades developed on PA66, PBT, and PPA.

In particular, V0HF1 compounds based on PA66 are offered with 25-50% glass fiber reinforcement and UL certification so as to meet even the most demanding mechanical requirements as, for example, in the case of thermoset replacement.

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