Low Smoke Halogen Free
In cables, what harms people in a fire is often the smoke rather than the flame. A halogen free additive such as DG HF 2000 reduces toxic fumes and corrosivity.
The terms
Low Smoke Halogen Free / Zero Halogen: what these abbreviations mean.
Read more →Why it matters
In an enclosed fire, toxic smoke is the greater danger.
Read more →DG HF 2000
A halogen free intumescent reduces opacity, corrosivity and toxic gases.
Read more →The terms
In the cable industry you encounter abbreviations such as LSHF (Low Smoke Halogen Free) and LSZH / LSOH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen). They denote cables whose sheathing, in the event of fire, produces little smoke and no halogens.
They are specified in environments where the aim is to limit smoke development and the emission of halogenated substances in a fire. The applicable requirements vary according to the intended use and the relevant technical standards.
Why it matters
In an enclosed fire, most of the harm to people comes not from the flame but from the smoke: opaque, preventing escape routes from being found; corrosive, damaging equipment and structures; toxic, through gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides.
Halogenated retardants produce far more hazardous fumes in a fire. This is why halogen free solutions are preferred wherever the safety of people is the priority.
DG HF 2000
DG HF 2000 is a non-halogenated intumescent flame retardant based on phosphorus and nitrogen. Its chemical nature and the absence of halogens deliver, in a fire, exactly the behaviour required in an LSHF cable: low optical density of the fumes, reduced corrosivity, and negligible emission of toxic fumes such as CO, HCN and NOx.
It can be used on polyolefin-based compounds. For any specific application, requirements and performance should be verified on the actual compound, according to its formulation and the applicable standards.
All technical dataFAQ
LSHF stands for Low Smoke Halogen Free, LSZH for Low Smoke Zero Halogen (sometimes LSOH). They denote cables whose sheathing, in the event of fire, produces little smoke and no halogens. They are used where the aim is to limit smoke development and the emission of halogenated substances; the applicable requirements depend on the intended use and the relevant technical standards.
Because in an enclosed fire most of the harm to people comes from the smoke rather than the flame. Opaque smoke prevents escape routes from being found, corrosive smoke damages equipment and structures, and toxic smoke contains gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides. A low emission cable reduces these risks.
DG HF 2000 is an intumescent halogen free retardant which, in a fire, offers low optical density of the fumes, reduced corrosivity and negligible emission of toxic gases such as CO, HCN and NOx: precisely the characteristics required in an LSHF cable. It can be used on polyolefin-based compounds.
Because halogenated retardants produce far more hazardous fumes in a fire. Choosing a halogen free additive such as DG HF 2000 reduces the toxicity, opacity and corrosivity of the smoke.
Fire performance depends on the complete formulation of the compound, not on the additive alone. Assessment should therefore be carried out on the actual compound, with the tests required by the standards applicable to the specific intended use. De Grandi makes its applications laboratory available for this development work.
De Grandi produces DG HF 2000, a halogen free flame retardant suitable for low smoke emission cable compounds, at its plant in Tromello, in the province of Pavia, Italy. To evaluate its use on your compound you can contact the company on +39 0382 868402 or at info@degrandisrl.it.
