At the 20th European Meeting on Fire Retardant Polymeric Materials, CIDAUT had the opportunity to present a novel study focused on enhancing the value of low-grade recycled PET from colored bottles—typically difficult to recycle and often discarded. The conference, organized by IMDEA Materials, took place in Madrid, Spain, from June 3rd to 6th, 2025.
This international event brought together leading research groups and major companies in the flame-retardant additives sector. Topics covered included the latest advancements in flame retardants, innovative flame-retardant materials, textiles and fiber-reinforced composites, advanced intumescent systems and coatings with enhanced fire safety, fire-safe energy storage materials, and flame-retardant solutions for emerging industries. Other key areas of focus were sustainability in flame retardant materials, new methods for testing and characterizing fire behavior, evolving fire safety regulations and standards, and recent developments in modeling, simulation, and prediction.
CIDAUT’s presentation focused on the use of an epoxy-based chain extender to improve the polymer’s rheological properties and an eco-friendly phosphorus-based flame retardant to enhance fire safety. Results showed that combining the optimal content of chain extender and flame-retardant additives improved both polymer quality and flame retardancy. This innovative approach enables the development of recycled PET materials suitable for electrical and electronic components in the construction industry. This study is part of the CELIA project (CCTT5/23/VA/0001) funded by the ‘Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICECyL)’ and co-financed by ‘the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)’.