Technical possibility and economic feasibility of the substitution of Tetra Bromo Bisphenol A (in french).

Edited on 10/05/2016
Author: 
INERIS
Year of publication: 
2015
Source type: 
Institutionnel
Description: 

Tetra-bromo bisphenol A (TBBPA) is a substance that belongs to the family of bisphenols and is used in plastics as a reactant or additive for its properties of flame retardant.
When used as a reagent, TBBPA is modified in the resin and is linked by chemical bonds. The two main applications are: the constituent epoxy resins of printed circuits and the epoxy resins used to encapsulate some electronic components from printed circuits. TBBPA is also used marginally as a reagent in other plastics and resins.
As an additive, TBBPA is mainly used for the plastic ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) for the electrical and electronics sector.
The identification of alternatives shows that there is a significant number of potential alternatives, which explains that the volumes of TBBPA used in the EU have been declining since the early 2000s.
For epoxy resins in electronic devices, which are the main application of TBBPA, the main substitute (DOPO) has penetrated about 20% of the market. However, replacement of TBBPA could pose technical difficulties, particularly for demanding applications (aeronautics, military).
For ABS, it seems that the substitution without bromine is more difficult because you have to use alternative plastics (mixtures PC / ABS PPE / PS). Nevertheless, several TV manufacturers have already banned brominated flame retardants in their products.

Associated thematic(s) :