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Flammability of blends of low‐density polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate crosslinked by both dicumyl peroxide and ionizing radiation for wire and cable applications
Author(s) -
Shukri T. M.,
Mosnáček J.,
Basfar A. A.,
Bahattab M. A.,
Noireaux P.,
Courdreuse A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.28080
Subject(s) - low density polyethylene , materials science , ammonium polyphosphate , cone calorimeter , talc , fire retardant , polyethylene , ethylene vinyl acetate , flammability , limiting oxygen index , polymer chemistry , composite material , intumescent , peroxide , polymer , copolymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , char , pyrolysis
Formulations of chemically crosslinked and radiation‐crosslinked low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) containing an intumescent flame retardant such as ammonium polyphosphate were prepared. The influence of blending LDPE with poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) as well as the effects of a coadditive such as talc on flammability was investigated. Chemical crosslinking by dicumyl peroxide and crosslinking by ionizing radiation from an electron‐beam accelerator were both used and compared. An increase in the limiting oxygen index (LOI) was found by the partial replacement of LDPE with EVA. The effect of talc on the flammability depended on the amount of talc in the formulations. The addition of a small amount of talc increased LOI and reduced smoke during cone calorimeter measurements. A higher amount of talc led to a decrease in the LOI values. Formulations crosslinked by ionizing radiation yielded lower LOI values than chemically crosslinked formulations. This could be attributed to the use of trimethylolpropane triacrylate as a crosslinking coagent in formulations crosslinked by ionizing radiation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008