Halogen-free flame retardants market worldwide

Halogen-free Flame retardants market will increase from 1.62 bn US $ in 2005 and to 2.72 bn US $ in 2010 worldwide. Nanotechnology will play the key role in improving fire-retardant performance and reducing production costs.Halogen-free flame retardants show strong increase worldwide. 

In Western Europe, USA and Japan, the public consciousness of the hazardous halgonenated products, the industrial end-user initiatives and the environmental legislation push together the market trend to halogen-free products. In China, Eastern Europe and other parts of Asia, the booming economy and the strengthened fire protection standards stimulate the market of fire retardants overall, from which the halogenated and non-halogenated products both benefit.

The highest increase is to be seen in China with more than 13 percent. Slightly slow growth in Western Europe and USA, ranging from 9%-11%, The world market in total will grow from 1.62 bn US $ in 2005 and to 2.72 bn US $ in 2010. The average global annual growth rate is more than 10%, in comparison with 5% of the general flame retardants market.

Plastic applications count for more than 50 percent of the quantity produced but fire protection applications like building materials and insulation, cables and wood products count for more than 60 percent of the profit potentials. Nanotechnology improve coatings, enables synergism with other materials and converge with processes and chemical technologies already today. 

The result is a better retarding of flame spread and smoke development. New chemicals are developed to improve the flame retardancy and one of the most promising technologies and substances are nanocomposites ( polymer - clay nanocomposites ) which can substantially improve perfomance. Other important technology trends include intumescent systems, inherently flame retardant polymers and so on.

The future of the halogen-free flame retardants will largely depend on the technological development, the drive from industrial end-users and the environmental legislation.