Pallet with fire retardant and method of manufacture

• US 8,697,801 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Primex Plastics Corporation (ICC Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Primex Plastics Corporation (ICC Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zwick, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, WILLIAM K
• Application Number:
  US13/909,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 524/849, 524/851, 526/352
• US Class Current: 524/849
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0026 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0086 Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/226 using a polymer as a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene

Abstract

A plastic pallet having a fire retardant. The fire retardant is prepared in an FR masterbatch before mixing with HDPE to form the pallet. In one embodiment, the FR masterbatch includes a brominated fire retardant, a hydrated mineral, antimony trioxide and a carrier resin. In some embodiments, the brominated fire retardant is a non-blooming brominated fire retardant such as poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate or ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide. The hydrated mineral advantageously enhances both the vapor phase and condensed phase fire retardant properties of the final product and may be magnesium hydroxide. In other embodiments, melamine pyrophosphate or a blend of melamine pyrophosphate and polyhydric compound may be substituted for the hydrated mineral or used as the sole fire retardant. The polyhydric compound may be bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol. A method of manufacturing a plastic pallet is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a polymeric pallet comprising:

mixing polyethylene with a fire retardant additive to form a final mixture wherein the fire retardant additive includes a brominated fire retardant, a hydrated mineral and antimony trioxide; and

using the final mixture to form at least a portion of the pallet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the brominated fire retardant is non-blooming in the manufacture of the pallet.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the brominated fire retardant is polymeric.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the brominated fire retardant is oligomeric.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the brominated fire retardant is poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the brominated fire retardant is ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated mineral is magnesium hydroxide.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

mixing the fire retardant additive with a carrier resin to form a masterbatch; and

mixing the masterbatch with the polyethylene to form the final mixture.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the brominated fire retardant is non-blooming in the manufacture of the pallet.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the brominated fire retardant is polymeric.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the brominated fire retardant is oligomeric.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the brominated fire retardant is poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the brominated fire retardant is ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the hydrated mineral is magnesium hydroxide.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the brominated fire retardant is about 25% to about 45% by weight of the additive;

the hydrated mineral is about 20% to about 50% by weight of the additive;

the antimony trioxide is about 6% to about 15% by weight of the additive; and

the carrier resin is about 15% to about 25% by weight of the additive.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the masterbatch is at least about 12% by weight of the masterbatch and polyethylene mixture.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the brominated fire retardant is about 37% by weight of the additive;

the hydrated mineral is magnesium hydroxide and is about 27% by weight of the additive; and

the antimony trioxide is about 12% by weight of the additive.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the brominated fire retardant is poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the brominated fire retardant is ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the brominated fire retardant is a mixture of poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate and ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the masterbatch is approximately 16.5% by weight of the masterbatch and polyethylene mixture.

22. A method of manufacturing a polymeric pallet comprising:

mixing polyethylene with a fire retardant additive to form a final mixture wherein the fire retardant additive includes a brominated fire retardant, melamine pyrophosphate and antimony trioxide; and

using the final mixture to form at least a portion of the pallet.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the fire retardant additive further includes a polyhydric compound.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the polyhydric compound is selected from the group consisting of bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol, trishydroxyethylisocyanurate, dipentaerythritol and pentaerythritol.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the polyhydric compound is bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

mixing the fire retardant additive with a carrier resin to form a masterbatch; and

mixing the masterbatch with the polyethylene to form the final mixture.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the fire retardant additive further includes a polyhydric compound.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the polyhydric compound is selected from the group consisting of bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol, trishydroxyethylisocyanurate, dipentaerythritol and pentaerythritol.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the polyhydric compound is bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol.

30. A polymeric pallet comprising:

a material comprising polyethylene and a fire retardant additive wherein the fire retardant additive includes a brominated fire retardant, a hydrated mineral and antimony trioxide.

31. The polymeric pallet of claim 30 wherein the brominated fire retardant is non-blooming.

32. The polymeric pallet of claim 31 wherein the brominated fire retardant is polymeric.

33. The polymeric pallet of claim 31 wherein the brominated fire retardant is oligomeric.

34. The polymeric pallet of claim 30 wherein the brominated fire retardant is poly pentabromobenzyl acrylate.

35. The polymeric pallet of claim 30 wherein the brominated fire retardant is ethylenebistetrabromophthalamide.

36. The polymeric pallet of claim 30 wherein the hydrated mineral is magnesium hydroxide.

37. A polymeric pallet comprising:

a material comprising polyethylene and a fire retardant additive wherein the fire retardant additive includes a brominated fire retardant, melamine pyrophosphate and antimony trioxide.

38. The polymeric pallet of claim 37 wherein the fire retardant additive further includes a polyhydric compound.

39. The polymeric pallet of claim 38 wherein the polyhydric compound is selected from the group consisting of bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol, trishydroxyethylisocyanurate, dipentaerythritol and pentaerythritol.

40. The polymeric pallet of claim 38 wherein the polyhydric compound is bis-pentaerythritol phosphate alcohol.