In Episode 1 of No Dumb Questions, we explain the difference between flame resistant and flame retardant materials, especially in the context of wire and cable products.
Flame resistant materials are naturally or inherently resistant to the spread of fire. If they catch fire, the flame does not easily propagate along the material. Examples include materials such as mica, fiberglass, stone, and glass. Flame retardant materials, on the other hand, are materials that have been chemically treated or modified with additives to make them more resistant to burning and flame spread. A common example is PVC insulation with flame-retardant additives.
We also distinguish between flame-resistant cables and fire-resistant cables specifically:
- Flame-resistant cables are designed to prevent fire from spreading along the cable, helping stop a fire from moving from one area (such as one floor of a building) to another.
- Fire-resistant cables are designed to continue functioning during a fire, maintaining power or signal transmission for a specified period under fire conditions.
Key Technical Takeaways
- Flame resistant: Inherently resists flame spread.
- Flame retardant: Made more resistant through chemical treatments or additives.
- Flame-resistant cables: Limit fire propagation.
- Fire-resistant cables: Continue operating during a fire.
Ready for more? Watch Episode 2: What is annealing?
Episode 1 Transcript – Flame Resistant vs Flame Retardance
Welcome to No Dumb Questions
Welcome, wire and cable enthusiasts to our first of the series, No Dumb Questions, where the only dumb question is the question you don’t ask. Let’s see what we have.
Ooh, here’s a good one. So, we often get questions about what’s the difference between flame retardant and flame resistant.
Material Differences: Resistant vs. Retardant
So, when we ask that, we break it down for materials. When something is flame resistant, it is naturally or inherently resistant to propagation of a flame. So that means if it catches fire, the flame doesn’t propagate down the material.
Flame retardancy is when something has been chemically treated or additives have been put in there, or plasticizers that make it more resistant to a fire or a flame. That shouldn’t be confused when we’re talking about flame resistant cables and fire resistant cables.
Flame-Resistant vs. Fire-Resistant Cables
So flame resistant cables use flame resistant materials or flame retardant materials. So that in the case of a fire, flame doesn’t propagate through the cable. So, imagine an example here would be in a building, if something catches fire on a floor, you don’t want the fire to propagate from the cable from one floor to the other.
A fire resistant cable, though, is intended to operate as normal under conditions during a fire. So, it’s supposed to still carry power and signal for a specified period of time under certain conditions.
Examples in Wire and Cable
So, some examples of flame resistant material would be stone or glass. And you think “how does that apply to wire and cable?”, but mica tapes – mica is basically a stone… fiberglass. So those are some considerations for flame resistant.
Flame retardant examples would be PVC insulation that generally burns but can have additives and fillers placed into it that prevent it or cause it to be resistant to propagating a flame.
So that’s the basic difference between flame retardant and flame resistance. So if you have a question that you’d like us to answer during our No Dumb Question series, feel free to contact us.