TOMSK, Sep 7 – RIA Tomsk. The Laboratory for Organic Synthesis of Tomsk State University (TSU), Engineering Chemical Technological Center (ECTC) and the Novokhim (Novochem) company were the first in Russia to develop anti-flammable substances – flame retardants; it is planned to produce up to 500 tons of flame retardants in Tomsk, the press service of the university said.
"In the Laboratory for Organic Synthesis of Tomsk State University under the leadership of Victor Malkov, more than a dozen regulations for the synthesis of halogen-free flame retardants have been developed. The technology has been scaled up in practice by the Novokhim (Novochem) company with the technical support of the ECTC and the financial support of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE)", – director of the Tomsk ECTC Alexey Knyazev is quoted.
It is explained that previously flame retardants were supplied to Russia exclusively from China, and the substances developed at TSU based on phosphoric acid salts can be produced on the territory of the Russian Federation from domestic raw materials.
According to the press service, production capacity in 2021 will amount to 500 tons per year with a subsequent increase. Currently, the market has already begun to supply melamine polyphosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, melamine borate, boron phosphate, zinc borate phosphate, melamine cyanurate and various modifications of these brands of flame retardants. The number of customers is in the tens.
"Compared to Chinese flame retardants, Tomsk companies have lower cost, but the quality is higher. In addition, the terms of delivery from Tomsk are more comfortable for Russian customers: the goods will arrive faster than from another country. And some flame retardants are not supplied to the Russian Federation at all", – the press service quoted the specialist of the Novokhim (Novochem) company Vladislav Seliverstov.
Another advantage of the Russian production of flame retardants is that Tomsk chemists will be able to prepare for customers concentrates that are specifically compatible with their material ("masterbatches"). Experts of the Novokhim (Novochem) company sent prototypes to the enterprises of the Russian Federation.
It is specified that flame retardants are used in the production of cables products, polymers, paints, various finishing materials, polyurethane foam panels and other products to make them fire resistant.