Premium
Fire performance and thermal stability of polypropylene nanocomposites containing organic phosphinate and ammonium polyphosphate additives
Author(s) -
Dahiya Jai Bhagwan,
Kumar Narender,
Bockhorn Henning
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fire and materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-1018
pISSN - 0308-0501
DOI - 10.1002/fam.2151
Subject(s) - polypropylene , ammonium polyphosphate , cone calorimeter , phosphinate , limiting oxygen index , nanocomposite , materials science , thermal stability , flammability , polyphosphate , fire retardant , composite material , composite number , char , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , pyrolysis , phosphate , organic chemistry
SUMMARY In order to develop polymer‐clay nanocomposites with reduced flammability by incorporation of char‐forming conventional nitrogen and phosphorus based flame retardants at low loading levels, the polypropylene‐clay nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending method with Cloisite 15A (15A), organic phosphinate (OP) and ammonium polyphosphate (AP) additives. Thermal analysis shows that addition of 5% 15A along with 15% (w/w) OP in polypropylene (PP)/PPgMA increases the thermal stability of PP/PPgMA/OP/15A composite by 82 °C showing synergistic effect, and the PP/PPgMA/AP/15A sample with same loading becomes thermally stable by 70 °C. Cone calorimeter analysis of the PP/PPgMA/OP/15A and PP/PPgMA/AP/15A composites measures the reduction in peak heat release rate values by 66% and 58%, respectively. Addition of 20% OP to PP/PPgMA enhances the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value and gives V‐2 rating of UL‐94 test. Further, on replacing 5% OP with 5% 15A for PP/PPgMA/OP/15A sample without changing the total 20% loading, the LOI value increases further slightly but give no UL‐94 rating. Also, PP/PPgMA/AP/15A sample with same loading similar to that of PP/PPgMA/OP/15A sample shows an enhancement in LOI value and gives no rating in UL‐94 test. No relation was observed between LOI values and UL‐94 test rating in the present study. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.