Leverkusen -- With its phosphorus-based Bayfomox, Disflamoll and Levagard ranges, specialty chemicals company LANXESS is responding to growing demand from many customers for multi-functional additives. "Our products are mainly used as flame retardants, but, unlike other classes of substance, our organic phosphorus compounds have additional benefits that make them attractive in particular to users in the fields of coatings, adhesives and sealants," said Otto Mauerer from the Business Development Phosphorus Chemicals section of the Functional Chemicals (FCC) business unit.

FCC will be showcasing a wide collection of highly efficient flame retardants from its Bayfomox, Disflamoll and Levagard ranges for a variety of applications at the European Coatings Show held in Nuremberg from March 29 to 31, 2011. Their properties also make them interesting additives and enable them to be used as VOC-free solvents, plasticizers and wetting agents and to lower viscosity.

In conjunction with Haan-based company FluidSystems GmbH & Co. KG, LANXESS has developed a new spray foam application for the two-component Bayfomox polyurethane system. Complex components can be made flame-retardant quickly and efficiently using the new Bayfomox spray foam coating. Whats more, applying subsequent coatings to protect vulnerable components is absolutely no problem thanks to small, flexible and extremely mobile spray machines. Using Bayfomox is both simple and cost-effective. Only a very small amount of the material is needed as even thin coatings are completely flame-retardant from the moment they are applied. The Bayfomox spray foam hardens quickly and is fully functional immediately. Downtime is therefore minimized when, for example, retrocoating in warehouses. As with Bayfomox molded-foam parts, the spray foam also exhibits outstanding fire endurance. It adheres exceptionally well to a wide variety of substrates, such as metal or wood, and trumps conventional intumescent coatings when it comes to heat insulation and soundproofing. These properties can also be customized to customers needs by altering the composition of the two-component system.

With its Disflamoll range, LANXESS offers halogen-free plasticizing flame retardants with outstanding fire safety characteristics for use in transparent coatings and in a variety of polymers, such as phenolic resins, PVC, rigid and soft polyurethane foams, and thermoplastic polyurethanes. Disflamoll products are halogen-free, colorless and transparent. They are extremely flame-retardant, are also used as plasticizers, solvents and solvent substitutes and reduce viscosity as well.

The highly effective halogen-free flame retardant Levagard DMPP has an extremely high phosphorus content. In line with the latest EU regulations, the product requires no particular labeling. Levagard DMPPs low viscosity makes it an excellent additive for coatings, adhesives and epoxy resins. It is also ideal in combination with inorganic flame retardants, such as ATH (aluminum trihydroxide). Such fillers can be used in higher doses because of the low viscosity of Levagard DMPP.

Halogen-free Disflamoll and Levagard products from LANXESS exhibit a host of other interesting properties in addition to their flame retardance. The right product choice enables, for example, halogen-free, colorless, low-viscosity and VOC-free formulations. LANXESS phosphorus compounds are also used as plasticizers, viscosity reducers, solvents, solvent substitutes, anti-foam additives and corrosion protection, surface treatment, dispersion and wetting agents.

The FCC business unit belongs to LANXESS Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved total sales in fiscal 2010 of EUR 1.98 billion.

Source: LANXESS