TY - JOUR A1 - Tan, Yi A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Klack, Patrick A1 - Kukofka, Tobias A1 - Ruder, J. A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Durability of the flame retardance of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer cables: Comparing different flame retardants exposed to different weathering conditions N2 - Scientific publications addressing the durability of the flame retardance of cables during their long-term application are rare and our understanding lacks. Three commercial flame retardants, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi-Et), and intumescent flame retardant based on ammonium polyphosphate, applied in ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) model cables, are investigated. Different artificial aging scenarios were applied: accelerated weathering (UV-irradiation/temperature/rain phases), humidity exposure (elevated temperature/humidity), and salt spray exposure. The deterioration of cables’ surface and flame retardancy were monitored through imaging, color measurements, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and cone calorimeter investigations. Significant degradation of the materials’ surface occurred. The flame retardant EVA cables are most sensitive to humidity exposure; the cable with AlPi-Et is the most sensitive to the artificial aging scenarios. Nevertheless, substantial flame retardance persisted after being subjected for 2000 h, which indicates that the equivalent influence of natural exposure is limited for several years, but less so for long-term use. KW - Durability KW - Flame retardant KW - Cable KW - Weathering KW - Cone calorimeter PY - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/APP.47548 SN - 0021-8995 VL - 137 IS - 1 SP - 47548 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-50237 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -