Improving the flame‐retardant efficiency of aluminum hydroxide with fullerene for high‐density polyethylene

The influence of fullerene (C₆₀) on the flame retardancy and thermal stability of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/aluminum hydroxide (ATH) composites was studied. After the addition of three portions of C₆₀ to an HDPE–ATH (mass ratio = 100:120) composite, a V‐0 rating in the UL‐94 vertical combustion test was achieved, and the limiting oxygen index increased by about 2%. The results of cone testing also showed that the addition of C₆₀ effectively extended the time to ignition and the time to maximum heat‐release rate while cutting down the peak heat‐release rate. Thus, fewer flame retardants were needed to achieve a satisfactory flame retardance. Consequently, the adverse effects on the mechanical properties because of the high level of flame‐retardant loading was reduced, as evidenced by the obvious enhancements in the tensile strength, elongation at break, and flexural strength. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy proved that C₆₀ was an efficient free‐radical scavenger toward HO· radicals. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that in both N₂ and air atmospheres, C₆₀ increased the onset temperature of the matrix by about 10 °C because of its enormous capacity to absorb free radicals evolved from the degradation of the matrix to form crosslinked network, which was covered by aluminum oxide. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44551.     

Influence of the pentaerythritol phosphate melamine salt content on the combustion and thermal decomposition process of intumescent flame‐retardant ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer composites

Pentaerythritol phosphate melamine salt (PPMS) as a single‐molecule intumescent fire retardant was synthesized and characterized. The influence of the PPMS content on the combustion and thermal decomposition processes of intumescent‐flame‐retardant (IFR) ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) composites was studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI) measurement, UL 94 rating testing, cone calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The LOI and UL 94 rating results illustrate that PPMS used in EVA improved the flame retardancy of the EVA composites. The cone calorimetry test results show that the addition of PPMS significantly decreased the heat‐release rate, total heat release, and smoke‐production rate and enhanced the residual char fire performance of the EVA composites. The IFR–EVA3 composite showed the lowest heat‐release and smoke‐production rates and the highest char residue; this means that the IFR–EVA3 composite had the best flame retardancy. The thermogravimetry results show that the IFR–EVA composites had more residual char than pure EVA; the char residue yield increased with increasing PPMS content. The analysis results for the char residue structures also illustrated that the addition of PPMS into the EVA resin helped to enhance the fire properties of the char layer and improve the flame retardancy of the EVA composites. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42148.     

Influence of fumed silica on the flame‐retardant properties of ethylene vinyl acetate/aluminum hydroxide composites

The flammability and synergistic flame‐retardant effects of fumed silica (SiO₂) in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/aluminum hydroxide (ATH) blends were studied with limiting oxygen index measurements, UL 94 testing, cone calorimeter testing (CONE), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that the addition of a given amount of fumed SiO₂ can apparently improve UL 94 rating. The CONE data indicated that the addition of fumed SiO₂ greatly reduced the heat release rate. The TGA data showed that this synergistic flame‐retardant mechanism of fumed SiO₂ in the EVA/ATH materials was mainly due to the physical process. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effect of ultrafine zinc borate on the smoke suppression and toxicity reduction of a low‐density polyethylene/intumescent flame‐retardant system

The production of smoke, carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were investigated with cone calorimetry testing when low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), LDPE treated with an intumescent flame retardant (IFR), and LDPE treated with an IFR and ultrafine zinc borate (UZB) combusted under irradiation. The results of the testing showed that UZB could depress smoke production and reduce the amount of CO and CO₂. The components of the pyrolytic gas and its contents were identified and measured with pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS) when LDPE, LDPE/IFR, and LDPE/IFR/UZB were pyrolyzed at 400°C for 20 s. The Py–GC–MS results implied that UZB had an important influence on the components and contents of the pyrolytic gas of LDPE/IFR. UZB mechanisms of smoke suppression and toxicity reduction with respect to LDPE/IFR are proposed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Effect of nano‐titanium nitride on thermal insulating and flame‐retardant performances of phenolic foam

In this work, titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles were employed to achieve enhanced thermal insulation and flame retardance of phenolic foam (PF)/TiN nanocomposites (PFTNs) via in situ polymerization. The morphologies of PFTNs were observed by scanning electron microscope and the images showed that the PFTNs have more uniform cell morphologies compared with pure PF. Thermal insulating properties of PFTNs were evaluated by thermal conductivity tests. The introduction of TiN obviously decreased the thermal conductivities of PF over a wide temperature range (?20 to 60 °C). Significantly, the thermal conductivity of PFTNs gradually decreased as the temperature increased from 30 to 60 °C, showing a contrary tendency with that of pure PF. Moreover, the thermal stability and flame‐retardant properties of PFTNs were estimated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UL‐94 vertical burning and limited oxygen index (LOI) tests, respectively. The TGA and LOI results indicated that PFTNs possess enhanced thermal stabilities and fire‐retardant performances with respect to the virgin PF. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43765.     

Thermal analysis of high‐density polyethylene and low‐density polyethylene with enhanced biodegradability

The thermal properties of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) filled with different biodegradable additives (Mater‐Bi AF05H, Cornplast, and Bioefect 72000) were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC traces of the additives indicated that they did not undergo any significant phase change or transition in the temperature region typically encountered by a commercial composting system. The TGA results showed that the presence of the additive led to a thermally less stable matrix and higher residue percentages. The products obtained during the thermodegradation of these degradable polyolefins were similar to those from pure polyethylenes. The LDPE blends were thermally less stable than the HDPE blends. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 764–772, 2002     

Wood particle/high‐density polyethylene composites: Thermal sensitivity and nucleating ability of wood particles

The thermal sensitivity, nucleating ability, and nonisothermal crystallization of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) with different wood fillers during wood/HDPE melt processing were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the wood degraded at a lower temperature than HDPE. The thermal decomposition behavior was similar across wood species. The most remarkable dissimilarities were observed between wood and bark in the decomposition rate around a processing temperature of 300°C and in the peak temperature location for cellulose degradation. The higher degradation rate for bark was explained by the devolatilization of extractives and the degradation of lignin, which were present in higher amounts in pine bark. The nucleating ability for various wood fillers was evaluated with the crystalline weight fraction, crystal conversion, crystallization half‐time, and crystallization temperature of the HDPE matrix. The nucleation activity improved with the addition of wood particles to the HDPE matrix. However, no effect of wood species on the crystal conversion was found. For composites based on semicrystalline matrix polymers, the crystal conversion may be an important factor in determining the stiffness and fracture behavior. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Bioactive efficacy of low‐density polyethylene films with natural additives

Active packaging can be defined as packaging that includes additives that help to extend the shelf life of food; among the advantages of its use is the possibility to reduce the amount of additives added to the food during processing. The aim of this study was to develop, characterize, and apply active films of low‐density polyethylene, incorporating carotenoid and yerba mate extracts as active additives. Active films were obtained by extrusion and were characterized for water vapor permeability, thickness, color, and mechanical and thermal properties. The effectiveness of the films was evaluated using butter packed in the formulated films. There was a significant reduction in thickness, and mechanical, thermal, and water vapor barrier parameters of the films compared to the control. The concentration of additives directly influenced coloration and antioxidant and antimicrobial action of the films. The formulated films provided protection against oxidative action and inhibition of microbial growth. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46461.     

Thermal degradation behavior and gas phase flame‐retardant mechanism of polylactide/PCPP blends

The thermal degradation behavior of the blend based on polylactide (PLA) and poly(1,2‐propanediol 2‐carboxyethyl phenyl phosphinate) (PCPP) was investigated by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thermal degradation activation energies (E_a) of neat PLA and PLA/15% PCPP blend were calculated via the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method. The E_a of the blends increased with the addition of PCPP increasing when the conversion was higher than 10%. In addition, the appropriate conversion models for the thermal degradation process of PLA and PLA/15% PCPP were studied via the Criado method. At the same time, the main gaseous decomposition products of PLA and its blend were identified by TGA/infrared spectrometry (TGA–FTIR) analysis. And it revealed that the PCPP improved the flame‐retardant property of PLA via altering the release of the flammable gas and nonflammable gas. Moreover, the PCPP improved the flame‐retardant property of PLA by inhibiting exothermic oxidation reactions in the combustion, which was further proved by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40480.     

High‐resolution thermogravimetry/coupled mass spectrometry analysis of flame‐retardant rubber

A bromobutyl rubber composition containing a variety of conventional flame retardants, such as Saytex (decabromodiphenyl oxide), Sb₂O₃, chlorinated paraffin wax, and polychloroprene rubber, was prepared and used to coat nylon 6 fabric in a laboratory‐coating device. An attempt was made to evaluate the decomposition profile, the evolved gases, and the kinetics of the decomposition process at a dynamic heating rate with high‐resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HR‐TGA). HR‐TGA was used with mass spectrometry for evolved gas analysis (EGA). The HR‐TGA results were compared with results from conventional thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at a constant heating rate; the former offered sharp transitions, an economic timescale, and an accurate activation energy. The resolution optimization for stability analysis and the effect of its variation on the kinetic parameters offered better results for HR‐TGA than conventional TGA. A lifetime and temperature relationship was evaluated in HR‐TGA with Toop's method, and it was observed that the shelf life decreased sharply with temperature. The effluents HBr, HCl, Br ·, and Cl ·, generated between 210 and 496°C during EGA, were correlated with the thermal stability and fire‐retardancy behavior of the material. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2051–2057, 2003     

Recycled milk pouch and virgin low‐density polyethylene/linear low‐density polyethylene based coir fiber composites

The viability of the thermomechanical recycling of postconsumer milk pouches [a 50 : 50 low‐density polyethylene/linear low‐density polyethylene (LDPE–LLDPE) blend] and their use as polymeric matrices for coir‐fiber‐reinforced composites were investigated. The mechanical, thermal, morphological, and water absorption properties of recycled milk pouch polymer/coir fiber composites with different treated and untreated fiber contents were evaluated and compared with those of virgin LDPE–LLDPE/coir fiber composites. The water absorption of the composites measured at three different temperatures (25, 45, and 75°C) was found to follow Fickian diffusion. The mechanical properties of the composites significantly deteriorated after water absorption. The recycled polymer/coir fiber composites showed inferior mechanical performances and thermooxidative stability (oxidation induction time and oxidation temperature) in comparison with those observed for virgin polymer/fiber composites. However, a small quantity of a coupling agent (2 wt %) significantly improved all the mechanical, thermal, and moisture‐resistance properties of both types of composites. The overall mechanical performances of the composites containing recycled and virgin polymer matrices were correlated by the phase morphology, as observed with scanning electron microscopy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Preparation of submicrometer mesoporous iron–tin oxide hydroxide and its flame‐retardant and smoke‐suppressant properties on flexible poly(vinyl chloride)

A submicrometer mesoporous structured iron–tin oxide hydroxide [FeSnO(OH)₅] was synthesized via a hydrothermal method and characterized by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. Blank poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and a flexible PVC treated with FeSnO(OH)₅ were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) testing, cone calorimetry testing (CONE), tensile properties testing, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)–differential scanning calorimetry. The PVC sample treated with 5 phr FeSnO(OH)₅ (PVC5) showed the best integration properties among the studied samples. Compared with those of the untreated PVC sample, the LOI value of PVC5 increased 5.6%, and its tensile strength also improved; the average heat‐release rate, average specific extinction area, and total smoke production of PVC5 decreased about 13.4, 28.0, and 48.8%, respectively. The char residue of PVC5 after CONE contained oxides and chlorides and was dense; this reduced the release of hydrogen chloride. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46218.     

A novel intumescent flame‐retardant system for flame‐retarded LLDPE/EVA composites

A new intumescent flame retardant (IFR) system consisting of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and charing‐foaming agent (CFA) and a little organic montmorillonite (OMMT) was used in low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) composite. According to limiting oxygen index (LOI) value and UL‐94 rating obtained from this work, the reasonable mass ratio of APP to CFA was 3 : 1, and OMMT could obviously enhance the flame retardancy of the composites. Cone calorimeter (CONE) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to evaluate the burning behavior and thermal stability of IFR‐LLDPE/EVA (LLDPE/EVA) composites. The results of cone calorimeter showed that heat release rate peak (HRR‐peak) and smoke production rate peak (SPR‐peak) and time to ignition (TTI) of IFR‐LLDPE/EVA composites decreased clearly compared with the pure blend. TGA data showed that IFR could enhance the thermal stability of the composites at high temperature and effectively increase the char residue. The morphological structures of the composites observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that OMMT could well disperse in the composites without exfoliation, and obviously improve the compatibility of components of IFR in LLDPE/EVA blend. The morphological structures of char layer obtained from Cone indicated that OMMT make the char layer structure be more homogenous and more stable. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

The flame retardant and thermal performances of polypropylene with a novel intumescent flame retardant

A novel mono-component intumescent flame retardant(m-IFR), called poly-(spirocyclic pentaerythritol bisphosphonate-1,3,5-triazine-O-bicyclic pentaerythritol phosphate) (PSTBP) was synthesized and characterized. PSTBP was used in polypropylene (PP) to obtain PP/PSTBP mixture whose flame retardancy, thermostability, and water resistance were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning test (UL-94 V) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, flame-retardant mechanism of the PSTBP was investigated. The results showed that the residue of PSTBP reached 34.58% at 800°C and the volume of the PSTBP increased by dozens of times. When the content of PSTBP was 30.0 wt%, the PP/PSTBP mixture could achieve an LOI value of 32.5% and an UL-94 V-0 rating. Compared with PP/APP/PER system, PP/PSTBP mixture showed better water resistance. The TGA and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results showed that PSTBP could generate free radicals and capture the free radicals of the thermal decomposition of PP, and form a dense, strong, and thick intumescent char on the substrate, thus effectively retard the degradation and combustion of PP.     

Essential work of fracture of low‐filled poly(methyl methacrylate)/starch composites

In this study, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/starch composites were prepared by a simple solvent casting method. The morphologies of the PMMA/starch composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The intermolecular interaction between PMMA and starch was investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the PMMA/starch composites were compared with those of the pure PMMA sample. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability increased as the starch content increased in the composites. The biodegradability of the PMMA/starch composites was studied with a soil burial test. The degradability was measured in terms of mechanical strength, which increased as the starch content increased. The essential work of fracture (EWF) of the PMMA/starch composite films was investigated by the application of EWF theory under in‐plane (mode I) conditions, and we found that the toughness, in terms of the EWF of composites, increased compared to that of pure PMMA. The fracture of the composites was also evaluated by ANSYS software, and the results were compared to the experimental output. The increased toughness of these PMMA/starch composites may enable their application in the automobile and packaging industries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Flame retardant and mechanical properties of epoxy composites with ammonium polyphosphate and hyperbranched silicon-containing polymers

The epoxy resin was mixed with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and hyperbranched silicon-containing polymers (HBP-B2). The cured composites were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, Underwriters Laboratory standard for the flammability properties under vertical burning (UL-94V), and limited oxygen index (LOI) test methods. The LOI of 43.5 and could be obtained at the weight ratio of 70:25:5 for the epoxy resin:APP:HBP-B2, Sample A25B5, and the LOI was higher than that of the composite with 30 wt % APP only, Sample A30B0, of which the LOI was 34.5. It suggested that the HBP-B2 could cooperate with the epoxy/APP composite to form a more effective protection layer during combustion, which resulted in a higher second-stage thermal degradation temperature. During the UL-94V test, the flame was extinguished immediately once the burner was removed. Furthermore, the tensile and impact strength of the epoxy/APP composite could also be improved by using HBP-B2 compound as the toughening agent. The composite containing 20% of APP and 10% of HBP-B2, Sample A20B10, still had excellent flame retardant properties with a V-0 rating. Moreover, the tensile strength and impact strength of that composite got 19 and 25% increases compared with the Sample A30B0, which contained 30% of APP only. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48857.     

Mechanical properties and water absorption of low‐density polyethylene/sawdust composites

The mechanical properties and water absorption of low‐density polyethylene/sawdust composites were investigated. The relationship between the filler content and the composite properties was also studied. Different degrees of esterification of the sawdust with maleic anhydride were obtained with different reaction times. The experimental results demonstrated that the treatment of sawdust by maleic anhydride enhanced the tensile and flexural strengths. The water absorption for maleic anhydride treated sawdust indicated that it was more hydrophobic than untreated sawdust. The effects of the addition of benzoyl peroxide during the preparation of composite samples on the water absorption and mechanical properties were also evaluated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Wood flour-high density polyethylene composites: Influence of silanization and esterification on mechanical properties

Silanization and esterification are strategies used to treat wood flour (WF) to produce surface functionalized hydrophobic WF leading to an improvement in dispersion and compatibility between wood phase and polymer phase. Silanization involves functionalization of alkyl groups by coupling trimethoxy (propyl) silane (MPS), and esterification functionalizes WF with ester groups, using acetic anhydride (Ac). Modified WF was incorporated into recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to form reHDPE/mod-WF composite system. Both modifications produced highly hydrophobic WF surfaces which improved the dispersion in the reHDPE matrix; resulting in a significant difference in impact strength, specifically at 20 wt% filler, from 74.5 Jm⁻¹ to 146.3 Jm⁻¹ and 113.5 Jm⁻¹, that is, up to 96% and 52% for MPS-WF and Ac-WF, respectively. However, filler agglomeration higher than 20 wt% reduces the composite impact strength. The results herein demonstrate that alkyl-functionalized WF show excellent dispersion in the reHDPE system and is the preferred technique to improve system mechanical resilience as compared to esterification.     

Morphology,thermal, and mechanical properties of flame‐retardant silicone rubber/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Flame‐retardant methyl vinyl silicone rubber (MVMQ)/montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared by solution intercalation method, using magnesium hydroxide (MH) and red phosphorus (RP) as synergistic flame‐retardant additives, and aero silica (SiO₂) as synergistic reinforcement filler. The morphologies of the flame‐retardant MVMQ/montmorillonite nanocomposites were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and the interlayer spacings were determined by small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). In addition to mechanical measurements and limited oxygen index (LOI) test, thermal properties were tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The decomposition temperature of the nanocomposite that contained 1 wt % montmorillonite can be higher (129°C) than that of MVMQ as basal polymer matrix when 5% weight loss was selected as measuring point. This kind of silicone rubber nanocomposite is a promising flame‐retardant polymeric material. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 3275–3280, 2006     

Improvement in mechanical properties and thermal stability of solvent‐based pressure‐sensitive adhesives based on triazine heterocyclic monomer

A heat‐resistance monomer denoted as triazine heterocyclic compound (TGIC‐AA) was synthesized and applied into improving the thermal stability of solvent‐based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) through copolymerization. The modified acrylic PSAs tapes possessed longer holding time at temperature up to 150°C and no large areas of residues could be seen when peeled off on the substrate while the temperature of test was cooled down to room temperature. The thermal stability could be significantly enhanced in PSAs as the content of triazine heterocyclic compounds increased due to the extensive crosslinking networks. This indicated a worthy method to prepared heat resistant acrylic PSAs. An obvious reduction in peel adhesion occurred at the content of crosslinkers range 5 wt %‐7 wt %, while beyond 7 wt % adhesion failure occurred. The influences of crosslinking density on the molecular weight, glass transition temperature and viscosity, etc. for PSAs were also studied. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43281.