Impact of Silicone Surfactants on the Flammability of Flexible Slabstock Foam – Comparison of California TB 117/draft 2002 with Established Flammability Tests*

ABSTRACT: It is well known that silicone surfactants have an influence on the flammability of the manufactured foam. Generally silicone surfactants have a negative impact on flammability, e.g., higher levels of flame-retardants (FRs) are necessary to pass the required FR test. During the recent years, Degussa has put a lot of resources into the develop-ment of optimized chemical structures that have a minimal impact on flamma-bility. The challenge is to make these changes without impacting other key properties, like stabilization potency and processing latitude. In early 2002, the State of California proposed a change to the old CAL TB 117, the industry flammability standard for furniture foam in the US since 1975. Even though it is still in draft form (no final decision on roll-out date and exac