Ashland Specialty Chemical introduces HETRON® FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin premixed with antimony

12-Feb-2002

Dublin, Ohio (USA) -- The Composite polymers Division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company (Dublin, Ohio), a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH), has introduced HETRON® FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin, which eliminates fabricators' need to handle and mix in antimony trioxide.

Ashland incorporates antimony, an additive used as a fire-retardant synergist, into its HETRON FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin during its production. That enables fabricators to make composite parts that meet Class 1 ASTM E-84 flame-spread requirements using a resin right out of the drum -- without adding any further fire-retardant additives or synergists.

Unlike conventional fire-retardant resins using antimony, HETRON FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin can be formulated days in advance of use without concerns about drift or antimony settling. HETRON FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin also improves consistency, hastens infusion and wet out, and reduces the costs and handling associated with antimony powders. "By premixing, we eliminate for fabricators the need to handle antimony powders," said Bruce R. Colley, HETRON resins product manager for the Composite Polymers Division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company. "For end users, our product offers the desired fire retardance with an added benefit of a translucent laminate for easy inspection."

Ashland developed HETRON FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin for use by the wastewater, power and chemical-process industries in corrosion-resistant, reinforced, thermosetting plastic equipment where a high degree of flame retardancy is required. Those types of equipment include filament-wound, hand lay-up and spray-up tanks, pipes, ducts, stacks, scrubbers, linings, or other equipment handling corrosive gases, vapors or liquids.

"We're pleased to be the first to bring this type of premixed resin to the fire-retardant composites market," Colley said of the product that Ashland began introducing to customers last month. "It's indicative of our ongoing commitment to the composites industry and the effort that Ashland puts into supporting new, useful technologies." Premixed HETRON® FR992Sb epoxy vinyl ester resin is available worldwide. It replaces Ashland's HETRON FR 992 epoxy vinyl ester resin (without antimony), which Ashland will continue to produce in limited quantities to meet specific customer needs.

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