New FR developments and standards for transport textiles

After 15 years of developing a new standard for the safety of materials and components of train interiors, the new EU standard EN 45545-2:2013 Fire Protection on Rail Vehicles – Part 2: Requirements for fire behaviour of materials and composites was approved in March 2013.

This introduces stringent flammability test methods and performance requirements, based on critical heat flux according to radiant panel flame spread test ISO 5658-2, maximum average rate of heat emission using cone calorimeter ISO 5660-1, smoke obscuration value and conventional index of toxicity using smoke chamber according to ISO 5659-2.

This new standard practically excludes the use of flame-retardant (FR) thermoplastics and elastomers, according to Dr Jürgen Troitzsch, Fire and Environment Protection Service, Germany.

Speaking at the recent one-day flammability conference on new trends in flame-retardant research held in Dübendorf, Switzerland, organised by EMPA, Troitzsch noted that the revision of this new standard has been recently initiated with a proposal to reduce the heat flux in the Cone Calorimeter and Smoke Chamber, to allow the use of suitable FR thermoplastics and elastomers.

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