An insulated wire having an electrical wire structure capable of reducing an outer diameter while an insulation property and a flame-retardant property are highly kept is provided. In the insulated wire including: a conductor; and a coating layer arranged on an outer periphery of the conductor, the coating layer includes: a semiconductive layer having a volume resistivity defined by JIS C2151 that is equal to or smaller than 1.010.sup.15 (cm); an insulating layer arranged on an outer periphery of the semiconductive layer, the insulating layer having a volume resistivity defined by JIS C2151 that is larger than 5.010.sup.15 (cm); and a flame-retardant semiconductive layer arranged on an outer periphery of the insulating layer, the flame-retardant semiconductive layer having a volume resistivity defined by JIS C2151 that is equal to or smaller than 1.510.sup.15 (cm) and having an oxygen index defined by JIS K7201-2 that is larger than 40.

A composite material joined with a curable phenolic resin adhesive, with the phenolic resin adhesive comprising a stiffening agent precursor, and with the stiffening agent precursor selected to react with reaction by-products of the phenolic resin adhesive during curing to produce a reaction product stiffening agent in a cured bonding layer that is detectable by ultrasound, resins comprising the stiffening agent precursor, bonding layers comprising the reaction product stiffening agent, and methods for making the composite material joints and inspecting the composite material joints are disclosed.

A thermally conductive sheet including: an acrylic polymer; a high-soda alumina in an amount of 70 to 75% by volume; and a magnesium hydroxide having a particle size smaller than a particle size of the high-soda alumina in an amount of 2.7 to 5.3% by volume, the magnesium hydroxide is coated with a higher fatty acid. The thermally conductive sheet has a compressive force required in a deformation with a compressibility of 20% or less of 200 N or less, and has a thermal resistance of 0.45C./W or less.

The present disclosure relates to a halogen-free flame retardant additive for polymers, such as polyolefins, comprising (i) a phosphorous-nitrogen-containing component containing amine and/or ammonium groups; and (ii) a (meth)acrylic acid homo- or co-polymer selected from the group consisting of a partially or fully neutralized salt of poly((meth)acrylic acid), a partially or fully neutralized salt of a partially crosslinked poly((meth)acrylic acid), a partially or fully neutralized salt of a copolymer of an olefin and (meth)acrylic acid comprising at least 50% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid repeating units, and any combinations of the foregoing polymers. The present disclosure also relates to a flame retardant polymer composition comprising the flame retardant additive and a method of reducing the flammability of a polymer, in particular a polyolefin, using the flame retardant additive.

Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.

A polyurea additive is provided that strengthens a given base sheet molding composition (SMC) An isocyanate containing species and an amine containing species are introduced into an uncured polymeric resin of a sheet molding compound (SMC) under conditions suitable for the formation of a polyurea polymer network. Upon cure of the SMC base resin, an interpenetrating network is formed that is stronger than the base SMC absent the polyurea. As a result, an article is formed from the SMC that is stronger at the same dimensions than a conventional article or thinned to achieve the same properties to obtain a lightweight article compared to that formed from conventional SMC. The properties of the article are also attractive relative to aluminum for the formation of vehicle body and exterior panels.

A flame-retardant polymer composition comprising a mineral filler and a polymer, said mineral filler comprising a calcium compound, characterized in that the calcium compound is a fire-resistant additive in the form of calcium hydroxide, having a specific surface calculated according to the BET method greater than 25 m.sup.2/g, preferably greater than 30 m2/g, more preferably greater than 35 m2/g and advantageously greater than 40 m2/g, uses of same and the combustion residue obtained.

The present invention relates to a flame retardant polypropylene composition for a conduit, appliance, and/or automotive wire, comprising a flame retardant composition comprising: a) a base resin comprising a heterophasic propylene copolymer which comprises a polypropylene homo- or copolymer matrix and an ethylene propylene rubber dispersed in said matrix, and b) a metal hydroxide or hydrated compound, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer has a MFR.sub.2 below 0.8 g/10 min and a xylene cold soluble (XCS) fraction content between 1 and 15 wt % based on the total weight of the heterophasic propylene copolymer.

Disclosed is a moisture curable composition comprising a reactive or curable silicone; a crosslinker; an unreactive silicone; and at least of an initial strength-imparting agent and a plasticizer. The composition can have superior waterproofing property and weatherproofing property and allows easy installation on a substrate and easy peeling from the substrate.

A membrane that includes: at least one layer comprising a first silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer having a density from about 0.80 g/cm.sup.3to about 1.75 g/cm.sup.3. The silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer can exhibit a crystallinity of from about 5% to about 25% and a glass transition temperature of from about 75 C. to about 25 C. Further, the first silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer can comprise a first polyolefin having a density less than 0.90 g/cm.sup.3, a second polyolefin, a silane crosslinker, a grafting initiator, and a condensation catalyst. In addition, the at least one layer can comprise a thickness from about 0.2 mm to about 3 mm.