Aluminum hydroxide: environmentally friendly flame retardant leading the green industrial revolution

Jan 24, 2025

In recent years, aluminum hydroxide (21645-51-2), as a material with both environmental protection characteristics and functional diversity, is playing an increasingly important role in the global market.

This white powdery inorganic flame retardant has been widely used in many fields due to its flame retardant, smoke suppression, filling and other characteristics, as well as its environmental advantages of chemical inertness, non-toxicity and no secondary pollution, and has become the "main force" of inorganic flame retardants.

Data show that the consumption of aluminum hydroxide has accounted for more than 80% of the total consumption of inorganic flame retardants, and this surge in demand is driving the market to usher in a wave of technological innovation and industrial upgrading.

Bayer process: an indispensable production technology in modern industry

The Bayer process is a classic process for producing alumina from bauxite, which plays a vital role in the large-scale production of aluminum hydroxide.

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This process achieves efficient extraction and recycling through two core reactions: first, the dissolution reaction under high temperature and pressure, reacting the aluminum oxide in the bauxite with concentrated sodium hydroxide solution to generate soluble sodium aluminate; then, by cooling, diluting and adding aluminum hydroxide seeds, a decomposition reaction is triggered to decompose the sodium aluminate into aluminum hydroxide. This technology not only achieves the production of high-purity aluminum hydroxide, but also improves resource utilization and reduces the environmental load of industrial production by recycling sodium hydroxide solution.

Multi-industry demand: promoting material innovation and customized development

With the rapid growth of global demand for environmentally friendly flame-retardant materials, different industries have put forward more diversified and refined requirements for the performance of aluminum hydroxide. These demands not only stimulate market expansion, but also promote the continuous optimization of aluminum hydroxide technology and applications.

1. EVA foam material: high purity and stability are the key

EVA foam material is widely used in interior decoration and public places, and has extremely high requirements for flame retardant properties.

The addition of aluminum hydroxide in the field of EVA foam material can be as high as 60%, so it is necessary to ensure extremely high purity and stable pH value to meet the strict flame retardant standards of this industry. This demand has driven the continuous upgrading of production processes to ensure that foaming materials can maintain excellent performance even in high-intensity application environments.

2. Silicone rubber products: a dual balance of function and mechanical properties

Silicone rubber is another important area of aluminum hydroxide application.

In order to meet the demand for high-performance flame retardants in the silicone rubber industry, aluminum hydroxide usually needs to be surface treated with silane first, and the distribution and purity of its particles must be strictly controlled. This not only improves the bonding between the flame retardant and silicone rubber, but also takes into account the mechanical properties of the material, ensuring a better balance between filling and flame retardancy.

3. Ink and coating: the importance of color and dispersion stability

In the production of ink and coating industries, there are extremely strict requirements for the whiteness, oil absorption and dispersion properties of aluminum hydroxide.

Aluminum hydroxide flame retardants are required to have low oil absorption to ensure printing and coating effects.

Aluminum hydroxide flame retardants are required to be free of impurities and have high whiteness to ensure the purity and color of inks and coatings.

High-quality aluminum hydroxide flame retardants should not precipitate in inks and coatings to maintain their stability and uniformity.

4. TPU/TPE materials: Micron-level fine control improves performance

In the field of TPU and TPE, aluminum hydroxide not only needs to have a micron-level particle size distribution, its particle size must be below 2.0 microns, and the particle size distribution must be uniform, but also needs to be surface activated to enhance its binding force with other substances, while improving the processing fluidity of aluminum hydroxide so that it can be more evenly distributed in the material, thereby achieving a good flame retardant effect.

This refinement treatment method not only significantly improves the flame retardant effect of the material, but also enhances the wear resistance and tear resistance, making it more competitive in the field of functional materials.

5. Wires and cables: reliable guardians of fire safety

The wire and cable industry has particularly stringent requirements for flame retardant materials. Aluminum hydroxide has become an important part of the industry with its excellent flame retardancy, heat resistance and long-term stability.

Not only is aluminum hydroxide flame retardant required to have high flame retardancy to ensure the safety of wires and cables in fires.

It is also required that aluminum hydroxide flame retardant maintains stability and durability during the production and use of wires and cables, and does not affect the performance and service life of wires and cables.

The protective performance of aluminum hydroxide in high temperature environments enables wires and cables to provide more escape time in fires, thereby improving overall safety.

Market prospects: Environmental protection trends drive industrial upgrading

With the rising global demand for green materials, the aluminum hydroxide market is ushering in unprecedented development opportunities.

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On the one hand, increasingly stringent environmental regulations have driven companies to transform towards more environmentally friendly and higher-performance materials; on the other hand, the continuous innovation of aluminum hydroxide technology has also opened the door for its application in emerging fields such as new energy materials and high-end composite materials.

Experts predict that the aluminum hydroxide market will continue to move towards high performance, specialization and intelligence in the future, further expanding its influence in the global flame retardant market.

Summary: Multiple forces shape the new era of aluminum hydroxide

From the technological innovation of the Bayer process to the personalized development of multi-industry needs, the industrial value of aluminum hydroxide is constantly being explored and amplified.

It is not only the mainstay of the current flame retardant market, but also an important driving force for the development of the green chemical industry.

In the future, with the coordinated development of technology and the market, this environmentally friendly material will continue to lead the global flame retardant market into a new era of sustainable development with its unique advantages.

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