Self-emulsification synthesis of epoxy phosphate ester and its flame-retardant mechanism in flexible poly(vinyl chloride)/magnesium hydroxide composites

A trade-off dilemma exists for simultaneously improving the mechanical properties and flame resistance of flexible polyvinyl chloride (fPVC)/magnesium hydroxide (MH) composites. In this study, epoxy phosphate ester (EPE), a hydrophobic surface modifier of MH, was synthesized using a self-emulsification method. After modification, EPE was bonded to the surface of MH (MHEPE) without altering its morphology. The results of limiting oxygen index and cone calorimetry tests indicated that fPVC/MHEPE exhibited better flame retardancy and smoke suppression effects than did fPVC/MH. The peak of the heat release rate, total heat release, peak of the smoke production rate, and total smoke production of the fPVC/MHEPE composite were 206.0 kJ m⁻², 45.90 MJ m⁻², 0.0729 m² s⁻¹, and 9.88 m², which were 8.64%, 14.00%, 27.61%, and 9.02% lower than those of the fPVC/MH composite, respectively. For the fPVC/MHEPE composite, a compact and continuous char residue formed, which could inhibit heat and flammable volatile migration between the matrix and burning zones. In the gas phase, the dilution effect of H₂O vapor reduced the concentrations of O₂ and flammable volatiles. The free-radical quenching effect of ·PO and ·PO₂ also played a vital role in extinguishing flame and terminating combustion. Further, the introduction of EPE improved the tensile and impact strengths of the fPVC/MH composites because of the excellent interfacial compatibility between MHEPE and the fPVC matrix. This study provides a simple and workable solution for the trade-off dilemma, and the remarkable flame retardancy and mechanical properties of the fPVC/MHEPE composite render it a promising cable material.     

Effect of curprous oxide in combination with molybdenum trioxide on smoke suppression in rigid poly(vinyl chloride)

Further investigation of the synergistic effect of smoke suppression between cuprous oxide and molybdenum trioxide in rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was carried out by using a cone calorimeter (cone) at a high incident heat flux of 50 kW m^?2. Experimental data derived from the cone calorimeter indicated that binary mixtures of Cu₂O and MoO₃ clearly showed the synergistic effect in reducing smoke by decreasing total smoke production (TSP), average specific extinction area (av‐SEA), and smoke production rate (SPR). This result is in good agreement with that obtained from the NBS smoke chamber. However, the combustion process of rigid PVC could clearly be seen from the heat release rate (HRR), curve, SPR, and fire degradation obtained from the cone test, which could not be determined from the NBS smoke chamber. It was also found that the binary mixture showed the synergistic effect by increasing was also found that the binary mixture showed the synergistic effect by increasing char residue and reducing the fire degradation of the PVC backbone at a high incident heat flux of 50 kW.m^?2. All experimental data well supported the early cross‐linking mechanism of the PVC backbone mentioned in the literature and were consistent with the fire degradation behavior obtained from the cone calorimeter.     

Low‐melting sulfate glasses as additives to semirigid PVC and their flame retardant and smoke suppressant properties

The role of low‐melting sulfate glasses (LMSG) as additives on the flame retardant and smoke suppressant properties of semirigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), as well as the mechanism for flame retardancy and smoke suppression, were studied through the Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) test. Smoke Density Rating (SDR) test, DTA‐TG, and SEM. The results show that the LMSG have good smoke suppressant properties. When the PVC compound contains 40 parts of LMSG, the SDR value will be reduced by about 45%. The Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Ni²⁺ sulfates, as well as MoO₃, cause PVC to crosslink and form char, and the melt can protect not only the char formed during combustion and thermal degradation, but also undecomposed polymer. That is the main mechanism for flame retardation and smoke suppression when the additives melt. The mechanical properties of the PVC compounds containing different levels of LMSG were also studied.     

Preparation and smoke suppression mechanism of flame-retardant PBS composites with BNNS@DOPA

Currently, the flame-retardant modification of polybutylene succinate (PBS) is mainly focused on improving flame-retardant efficiency, ignoring the negative impact of the smoke produced by combustion on the human respiratory tract. To address this problem, PBS composites were prepared by melt blending method in this study. The effect of boron nitride-grafted DOPO flame retardant (BNNS@DOPA) on flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PBS composites was investigated. Incorporating 3% BNNS@DOPA into PBS composites results in a 90% improvement in thermal conductivity. This resulted in a reduction of the peak heat release rate, total heat release rate, and actual smoke rate to 453.7 kW m⁻², 86.3 MJ m⁻², and 1035.9 m², respectively, compared with pure PBS. The latter indicated a decrease of 34.0%, 37.6%, and 51.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the ignition time was extended by 45 s and the limiting oxygen index value increased by 12.5%. This functionalization approach presents a new way to study PBS flame retardancy improvement, consequently boosting its application in fire safety for polymer materials.     

Superior thermal stability and smoke suppression of epoxy resin composites with graphene/LDH phosphorus-rich hybrids

In this article, graphene/LDH phosphorus-rich triple hybrid was prepared by a mild method and used to effectively improve the thermal stability and smoke suppression of epoxy resin (EP). The graphene was firstly reacted with hexamethylenediamine (HA) and followed by the treatment with the layered double hydroxide (LDH) and NaH₂PO₄ solutions. Compared to the unmodified graphene, the initial decomposition temperature of the triple hybrids increases significantly from 168.6 to 292.5°C. The residual carbon content is greatly improved and the residual mass is up to 84.1%. Elemental analysis reveals the content of phosphorus in EP composites is as high as 10 wt%. In flame retardancy tests, the peak heat release rate of the EP composite with 5 wt% graphene/LDH phosphorus-rich hybrids decreases to 786.15 KW/m², 41.19% drastic reduction compared to that of EP. These results indicate that the triple functionalization process effectively expands the interval distribution of heat release and makes the heat release process more gradual and spread flames smaller. The smoke production rate and total smoke production rate of EP composite with 5 wt% graphene/LDH phosphorus-rich hybrids are 0.32 m²/s and 40.91 m², which are significantly reduced by 65.22 and 57.83%, respectively. This gentle and efficient process provides a new approach to multi-functional design to improve the thermal stability and smoke suppression of resin-based composites.     

The Effect of Different Smoke Suppressants with APP for Enhancing the Flame Retardancy and Smoke Suppression on Vinyl Ester Resin

Flame retarded and smoke suppressed vinyl ester resin (VER) were prepared through ammonium polyphosphate (APP) coupled with different smoke suppressants. The flame retardancy of these composites was tested by the limiting oxygen index and UL-94 tests. The typical combustion parameters including heat release rate (HRR), peak of HRR (p-HRR), total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke production were detected using a cone calorimeter. The smoke suppressants CaCO₃, ZnMoO₄, Cu₂O, and Fe₂O₃ show different effect on flame retardancy and smoke suppression of VER composites when they are coupled with APP, the synergistic action of APP and CaCO₃ is more effective on decreasing the HRR and smoke release rate than several other smoke suppressants. This is attributed to the fact that CaCO₃ could promote the formation of a dense carbon layer with high thermal stability and anti-oxidation property, which could act as an effective physical barrier. The flame retardant performances and mechanisms of APP and CaCO₃ were evaluated and analyzed at length by thermogravimetric coupled with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, and X-ray diffraction. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 314–322, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

ZnS as fire retardant in plasticised PVC

The flame retardant effect of zinc sulphide (ZnS) in plasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC‐P) materials was investigated. PVC‐P containing different combinations of additives such as 5% ZnS, 5% of antimony oxide (Sb₂O₃) and 5% of mixtures based on Sb₂O₃ and ZnS were compared. The thermal degradation and the combustion behaviour were studied using thermogravimetry (TG), coupled with FTIR (TG–FTIR) or with mass spectroscopy (TG–MS), and a cone calorimeter, respectively. A detailed and unambiguous understanding of the decomposition and release of the pyrolysis products was obtained using both TG–MS and TG–FTIR. The influence of ZnS, Sb₂O₃ and the corresponding mixtures on the thermal decomposition of PVC‐P was demonstrated. Synergism was observed for the combination of the two additives. The combustion behaviour (time to ignition, heat release, smoke production, mass loss, CO production) was monitored versus external heat fluxes between 30 and 75 kW m^?2 with the cone calorimeter. Adding 5% of ZnS has no significant influence on the fire behaviour of PVC‐P materials beyond a dilution effect, whereas Sb₂O₃ works as an effective fire retardant. Synergism of ZnS and Sb₂O₃ allows the possibility of replacing half of Sb₂O₃ by ZnS to reach equivalent fire retardancy. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Enhancement of fire safety in epoxy resin composites through incorporation of microencapsulated diatomite

Diatomite (DIA) particles are commonly employed as flame-retardant additives for polymers, yet their intrinsic inefficiency requires substantial quantities for optimal efficacy. To address this issue, we proposed a novel approach involving the microencapsulation of DIA with polyethylene glycol phosphate (PEGP) to enhance the flame retardancy of epoxy resin (EP). Characterization of the prepared DIA@PEGP utilized scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The resulting EP composite, DIA@PEGP-4/EP, achieved a limiting oxygen index of 33.2% and achieved a V-0 level in vertical combustion tests. Compared to EP, DIA@PEGP-4/EP demonstrated significantly improved fire performance, with 38.6%, 47.8%, 25.0%, 41.3%, and 60.4% reduction in peak heat release rate, total heat release, peak smoke production rate, total smoke production, and CO yield. Furthermore, the highest FPI value of 0.080 m²·s/kW for DIA@PEGP-1/EP and the lowest FGI value of 8.734 kW/m²·s for DIA@PEGP-4/EP, indicate that the incorporation of DIA@PEGP into EP enhances its fire safety. The flame retardancy mechanism of DIA@PEGP-4 involves the formation of a phosphorus-containing aromatic carbon layer during EP char formation, capturing radicals in the gas phase during combustion.     

Bio‐based Mg(OH)2@M‐Phyt: improving the flame‐retardant and mechanical properties of flexible poly(vinyl chloride)

Two novelty bio‐based multifunctional metallic phytate coated (M‐Phyt, M ≡ Cu, Zn) Mg(OH)₂ (MH@M‐Phyt) were designed and incorporated into flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). MH@M‐Phyt was incorporated into PVC materials in a powder form. The morphology of the interface between MH and M‐Phyt and their binding states were characterized by TEM and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The TEM images of MH@M‐Phyt indicated that M‐Phyt was successfully coated on the MH surface. Additionally, from the XPS spectra M‐Phyt and MH were connected by Mg–O–P bonds. The flame retardancy and mechanical properties of the PVC composites were investigated through the limiting oxygen index, cone calorimetry and mechanical tests. The char residues were analyzed by SEM. The results revealed that the MH@M‐Phyt powder functioned well in PVC, with a flame retardancy, smoke density, tensile strength and elongation at break better than those of PVC/MH. With 10 phr loading, the peak heat release rate of PVC/MH@Zn‐Phyt and PVC/MH@Cu‐Phyt decreased by 33.5% and 24.6%, respectively, benefitting from the formation of firmer and denser char layers on the char residues. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Flame retardancy in fabric consisting of cellulosic fiber and modacrylic fiber containing fine‐grained MoO3 particles

Flame retardancy of fabrics consisting of modacrylic fiber containing with various dispersed metal compounds and cellulosic fiber has been investigated by means of flame test (ISO15025 procedure A) and limiting oxygen index (LOI). It has been found that excellent flame retardancy is achieved by fine‐grained MoO₃ particles. The afterflame time in flame test and the LOI value are improved with decreasing particle size of MoO₃. The flame retardancy of MoO₃ (particle size; 0.1 µm) is comparable to that of Sb₂O₃. On the other hand, significant improvement in flame retardancy is not observed for other metal compounds although some metal oxides and a hydroxide in the present study are known as flame retardant or smoke suppressing agent in halogen containing polymer in previous studies. In order to clarify the mechanism of the observed flame retardancy by the addition of fine‐grained MoO₃, we have carried out X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) measurement of the fabric specimen after the flame test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of various types of samples. These analytical data indicated that MoO₃ works as halogen synergist in solid phase and the char of modacrylic fiber formed by addition of MoO₃ suppresses decomposition of the cotton blended in the fabric in the range of the ignition temperature. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Cu2+‐organic montmorillonites on thermal decomposition and smoke emission of poly(vinyl chloride) by cone calorimetric study

Cu²⁺‐Organic montmorillonites were prepared by modifying Na⁺ montmorillonite (Na⁺‐MMT) with silane coupling agents and cupric sulfate. PVC/organic montmorillonite composites were prepared by the melt intercalation method. Morphological structure of modified MMT and PVC/MMT was obtained by using XRD and SEM. The XRD results showed that silanes and Cu²⁺ were intercalated among interlayers and that modified MMT may have exfoliated dispersion in PVC. Effects of Cu²⁺‐organic montmorillonites on decomposition and smoke emission of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in the flaming mode were investigated by using a cone calorimeter at an incident heat flux of 25 kW·m^?2. Cone experimental data demonstrated that the Cu²⁺‐organic montmorillonites prepared were new effective smoke suppressants. They clearly promoted an early HCl elimination, crosslinking reactions, and char residue formation, based upon the decomposition parameters of mass loss, mass loss rate, and time of initial decomposition (t_initial). Cu²⁺‐Organic montmorillonites decreased peak heat release rate, total heat release, peak smoke production rate, total smoke production, and smoke extinction area during the flaming process. The smoke‐reducing efficiency of Cu²⁺‐organic montmorillonites (Cu²⁺‐OMMTs) was the best. However, the content of cupric ion was only 0.6–0.8% in Cu²⁺‐OMMTs and 0.03–0.04% in PVC composites. They may make the smoke‐reducing efficiency reach 45–50%. This result further demonstrates that Cu²⁺ ion is a very effective smoke suppressant for PVC. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 13:31–39, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Synergistic effect between zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 and expandable graphite to improve the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of polyurethane elastomer

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was synthesized at room temperature, and then added with expandable graphite (EG) to polyurethane elastomer (PUE) to study their flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PUE. The results showed that when the total flame retardant was 3 wt % and the ratio of ZIF-8 and EG was 1:3, it had the best effect on the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PUE. Compared with pure PUE, the peak heat release rate, the total heat release, and the maximum smoke density values of Z1E3 decreased by 83.4, 42.6, and 22.4%, respectively. Moreover, the limited oxygen index value of Z1E3 increased to 30.2% and its UL-94 vertical burning test reached V-1 rating. This was because ZIF-8 synergized with EG to make the intumescent char layer compact, resulting in improved flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PUE. The specific mechanism of flame retardancy and smoke suppression is also discussed in this article. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48048.     

A facile approach to prepare anhydrous MgCO3 and its effect on the mechanical and flame retardant properties of PVC composites

Anhydrous MgCO₃ is considered a promising inorganic filler because of its many outstanding properties. In this study, a facile approach was developed to prepare anhydrous MgCO₃ using urea as CO₂ source. MgCO₃ with cube-like morphology (MC-cube) was prepared and then modified with β-cyclodextrin (CD) (CD@MC-cube) in order to improve its interfacial adhesion with PVC matrix. The results indicate that the incorporation of MgCO₃ can not only reinforce and toughen PVC composites, but it can also enhance their thermal stability and flame retardancy. Specifically, the impact strength of CD@MC-cube/PVC composite with 4 wt% of CD@MC-cube is increased by 92.5%, and the total smoke production and the total heat release of CD@MC-cube/PVC composite with 12 wt% of CD@MC-cube are decreased by 38.8% and 51.3% compared with that of PVC matrix, respectively.     

Influences of 4ZnO·B2O3·H2O whisker based intumescent flame retardant on the mechanical,flame retardant and smoke suppression properties of polypropylene composites

In this work, the influences of 4ZnO·B₂O₃·H₂O zinc borate (ZB) whisker based intumescent flame retardant (IFR) containing ammonium polyphosphate and dipentaerythritol on the mechanical, flame retardant and smoke suppression properties of polypropylene (PP) composites were characterized by the universal testing machine, UL-94, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and cone calorimeter tests, respectively. The results indicate that only 1 phr of ZB could effectively improve the LOI value and slow down the burning rate of PP composite. The peak heat release rate, average of HRR, total heat release, peak smoke production rate, and total smoke production values are all decreased from 413.8 kW/m², 166.3 kW/m², 82.3 MJ/m², 0.0995 m²/s, and 17.9 m² for PPc/20IFR composite to 267.8 kW/m², 128.3 kW/m², 66.8 MJ/m², 0.0478 m²/s, and 12.6 m² for PPc/20IFR/1ZB composite, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy images, energy dispersive spectrometry, and Raman spectra of char residue reveal that ZB is helpful to form a compact and graphitized intumescent char residue so that the heat diffusion and oxygen transmission are greatly hindered. The thermogravimetry analysis-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) results show that less combustible volatiles and more H₂O vapor are generated with the appearance of ZB. Hence, the combustion mechanism in gas phase is suppressed.     

Improvement of thermal stability and flame retardancy of polypolypropylene composite modified by ZnO and MoO3 nanowires

Herein, zinc oxide (ZnO) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) nanowires were prepared via the hydrothermal method. Then as-prepared ZnO and MoO₃ nanowires were fabricated to form ZnO/MoO₃ compound nanostructure. ZnO/MoO₃ compounds were incorporated into polypropylene (PP) with various loadings by melt blending. The D-Optimal mixing design in Design-Expert software was employed to study the effects of ZnO/MoO₃ compound content on flame retardancy and mechanical properties of nanocomposites. Information on performance of thermal stability and flame retardancy of PP/ZnO/MoO₃ nanocomposites was obtained through thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimeter tests, and limiting oxygen index (LOI). The results reflected that the synthesized ZnO/MoO₃ compound possessed high thermal stability and flame retardancy. The addition of 15 wt % ZnO nanowires and 13 wt % MoO₃ nanowires increased LOI from 18.2 to 23.0%. Meanwhile, the tensile strength of the PP/ZnO/MoO₃ nanocomposite decreased by 13.8% and the elongation at break of the PP nanocomposite increased by 20.4% compared with pure PP. Response surface analysis results also indicated that the loading of ZnO/MoO₃ compound had an influence on the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of PP. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 48312.     

复合型阻燃剂对聚氯乙烯的阻燃抑烟作用研究

采用微胶囊红磷（MRP）、硼酸锌（ZnBO3）、氢氧化铝(ATH)和氢氧化镁(MH)进行复配对软质聚氯乙烯（PVC）进行阻燃处理,通过极限氧指数、热失重、锥形量热方法研究了不同配比阻燃剂对PVC的阻燃抑烟性能的影响。结果表明,当PVC/MRP/ZnBO3/ATH/MH质量比为100:3:1:20:20时,具有良好的阻燃抑烟效果,极限氧指数可达35.9 %;阻燃体系PVC/ATH/MH、PVC/MRP/ZnBO3/ATH/MH相对于纯PVC具有良好的阻燃抑烟性,PVC/MRP/ZnBO3/ATH/MH比PVC/ATH/MH体系在热释放、烟气、一氧化碳和二氧化碳排放指标上数值更低,热稳定性增加,成炭率更高,火灾性能指数提高,火灾蔓延指数减小,火灾危险性降低。     

Synthesis of FePP@MoS2@Ni-MOF composites for improving thermal and flame retardant safety properties of polyurea

Polyurea (PUA) is widely used as a coating in construction, tunnels, bridges, and other fields because of its excellent performance. However, its combustion emits toxic gases and smoke, hindering escape and posing potential fatality risks. Enhancing the flame retardancy of PUA is crucial for safety and expanding its applications. The synthesis of two-dimensional FePP nanosheets was reported in this paper, employing the solvothermal method, followed by the sequential growth of MoS₂ and Ni-MOF to establish a multilayer composite structure. The elemental composition and morphology of the synthesized FePP@MoS₂@Ni-MOF flame retardants were characterized and analyzed. The flame retardant properties of polyurea composites with varying amounts of FePP@MoS₂@Ni-MOF were investigated using Cone calorimeter tests. The results showed that the prepared flame retardant had good thermal stability and significantly improved fire safety properties. The PUA/FePP@MoS₂@Ni-MOF 3.0 composite exhibited notable improvements compared to pure PUA. Specifically, the peak heat release rate, total heat release rate and peak smoke production rate were reduced by 39.76%, 29.33% and 17.86%, respectively, while total smoke production and total CO production (COP) were reduced by 21.30% and 54.47%. This study provides new insights and experimental basis for the technological development of novel flame retardant coating materials.     

粉煤灰/三氧化二锑对软质聚氯乙烯阻燃消烟作用研究

将粉煤灰(Flyash)、三氧化二锑(Sb₂O₃)复合阻燃剂加入软质聚氯乙烯(PVC),制备PVC/Sb₂O₃/Flyash复合材料。通过氧指数(LOI)、TG、锥形量热、SEM等测试,探究Flyash和Sb₂O₃的协同效应,对PVC阻燃抑烟性能的影响。结果表明:当m(PVC)∶m(Sb₂O₃)∶m(Flyash)=100∶4∶3,PVC/Sb₂O₃/Flyash具有较好的阻燃抑烟性能,其LOI可达到33.9%。PVC/Sb₂O₃/Flyash的阻燃抑烟性比PVC/Sb₂O₃和PVC好。PVC/Sb₂O₃/Flyash的热释放速率降低、热稳定性增强,成炭率更高。PVC/Sb₂O₃/Flyash难点燃,火灾性能指数(FPI)大,火灾蔓延指数(FGI)小,降低火灾危险性,阻燃性能优异。     

Three in one: β‐cyclodextrin,nanohydroxyapatite, and a nitrogen‐rich polymer integrated into a new flame retardant for poly (lactic acid)

A new halogen‐free flame retardant was developed by integrating β‐cyclodextrin, triazin ring, and nanohydroxyapatite (BSDH) into a hybrid system. A β‐cyclodextrin was grafted to a commercially available SABO®STAB UV94 via an aromatic deanhydrate. The BSDH was prepared in situ in the presence of β‐cyclodextrin‐grafted nitrogen‐rich precursor. The resulting hybrid was applied as a flame retardant for poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and compared for performance with ammonium polyphosphate (APP). PLA composites containing BSDH and APP, individually or simultaneously, were examined for thermal degradation and flammability by TGA, cone calorimeter, and pyrolysis‐combustion flow calorimetry. TGA results confirmed enhancement of thermal stability of PLA with assistance of BSDH compared to APP. The gases evolved during thermal degradation were assessed by a thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier infrared spectroscopy device. APP revealed catalytic effect to initiate PLA degradation, while BSDH continued to release some gases at elevated temperatures. The flame retardancy of PLA/APP/BSDH blend containing only 10 wt.% of additives was significantly improved. In cone calorimetric tests, a significant fall in peak of heat release rate was observed for this sample, 49% more than that of neat PLA, which was indicative of more gas and condensed phase reflected in more char residue. The corresponding PLA/APP sample, however, showed 17% improvement, as compared to neat PLA. Also, total heat release rate of PLA/APP/BSDH was 45 MJ.m^?2, whereas those of PLA and PLA/APP were 89 and 65 MJ.m^?2, respectively. BSDH and APP showed a synergistic effect on improving the flame retardancy of PLA composites.     

Facile Synthesis of Zinc-Containing Mesoporous Silicate from Iron Tailings and Enhanced Fire Retardancy of Rigid Polyurethane Foam

Iron tailings (ITS), as solid decay absolved afterward beneficiation, are adverse to the environment. ITS to prepare zinc-containing mesoporous silicate (MAO-Zn) by a calcination-crystallization method are used. An admixture of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and MAO-Zn can solve the problem of poor flame retardancy in rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF), giving them higher thermal stability and lower heat release. The total heat release rate and smoke factor values exhibited by RPUF-3 are 24.52 MJ m⁻² and 234.29 MW m⁻² respectively, a decrease of 38.45% and 29.60% respectively compared to pure RPUF. Lower combustible and toxic gas release intensities are in RPUF-3. Meanwhile, RPUF-3 possesses enhanced compactness char residue with higher graphitization degree, endowing RPUF-3 with excellent fire observed performance. This work demonstrates the potential of ITS in the fire retardancy field.