The profiles are primarily PLA (polylactic acid) with a proprietary flame retardant. James Decknick, VP sales and marketing at Keller Products Inc. (Manchester, NH), in answer to question from MPW, said the flame retardant can be considered harmless to the environment as its formula contains no halogens, chlorine nor bromine. While PLA alone will burns readily, this profile blend offers very low smoke and is self-extinguishing. According to the processor, the profile feels like any other plastic material and very much like ABS. "We can even color match the profile as well. Green material, your exact profile, and doesn't burn," he emphasized.
Keller Plastics operates out of a 50,000-ft2 extrusion plant in Bow, NH. Development of the flame-resistant PLA profiles was driven partly inhouse, and partly from customers' expressed interest, added Decknick. The processor is offering samples of the profiles to potential users. —Matt Defosse
