Flame retardant polymeric compositions

Claim 2

A POLYMERIC COMPOUND OF SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BURNING RATE, AS MEASURED BY THE UNDERWRITERS'' LABORATORIES (UL) 94 HORIZONTAL BURNING RATE TEST, COMPRISING A POLYMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, POLYVINYL ACETATE, POLYACRYLONITRILE, ESTERS OF POLYMETHACRYLIC ACID, POLYPROPYLENE, POLYSTYRENE, ABS RESIN AND POLYETHYLENE, AND CHARACTERIZED BY A BURNING RATE IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 0.7 INCH/MINUTE TO ABOUT 2.5 INCHES/MINUTE, A THERMAL DEGRADATION TEMPERATURE AT OR BELOW ABOUT 450*C, A PROCESSING TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 200*C; AND AN AMMONIUM DAWSONITE COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST ABOUT 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT AMMONIUM DAWSONITE OF THE FORMULA NH4AL(OH)2CO3, THE BALANCE CONSISTING OF ALUMINOUS STARTING MATERIAL, THE AMMONIUM DAWSONITE COMPOSITION BEING UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE POLYMERIC COMPOUND IN AN AMOUNT FROM ABOUT 15 TO ABOUT 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE POLYMERIC COMPOUND.

Claim 3

A polymeric compound of claim 1, wherein the polymer is polystyrene.

Claim 4

A polymeric compound of claim 1, wherein the polymer is polypropylene.

Claim 5

A polymeric compound of claim 1, wherein the polymer is poly(methylmethacrylate).

Claim 6

A process for significantly reducing the burning rate of polymeric compounds, which comprises admixing a polymer selected from the group consisting essentially of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylonitrile, esters of polymethacrylicacid, polypropylene, polystyrene, ABS resin and polyethylene, characterized by a burning rate in the range from about 0.7 inch/minute to about 2.5 inches/minute as measured by the Underwriters'' Laboratories (UL) 94 Horizontal Burning Rate Test, a thermal degradation temperature at or below about 450*C, a processing temperature below about 200*C; with an ammonium dawsonite composition containing at least about 50 percent by weight of ammonium dawsonite of the formula NH4Al(OH)2CO3, the balance consisting of aluminous starting material, uniformly distributing within the polymeric compound the ammonium dawsonite composition; and recovering a polymeric compound containing from about 15 to about 50 percent ammonium dawsonite composition by weight of the polymeric compound.

Claim 7

A process for significantly reducing the burning rate of polymeric compounds, which comprises admixing a polymer selected from the group consisting essentially of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylonitrile, esters of polymethacrylicacid, polypropylene, polystyrene, ABS resin and polyethylene, characterized by a burning rate in the range from about 0.7 inch/minute to about 2.5 inches/minute as measured by the Underwriters'' Laboratories (UL) 94 Horizontal Burning Rate Test, a thermal degradation temperature at or below about 450*C, a processing temperature below about 200*C; with an ammonium dawsonite composition containing at least about 50 percent by weight of ammonium dawsonite of the formula NH4Al(OH)2CO3, the balance consisting of aluminous starting material, uniformly distributing within the polymeric compound the ammonium dawsonite composition; and recovering a polymeric compound containing from about 15 to about 50 percent ammonium dawsonite composition by weight of the polymeric compound.

Claim 8

Process according to claim 5, wherein the polymer is polystyrene.

Claim 9

Process according to claim 5, wherein the polymer is polypropylene.

Claim 10

Process according to claim 5, wherein the polymer is poly(methylmethacrylate).