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Impact of the chemical composition of nanofillers on the flammability of polymer nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Yang Feng,
Bogdanova Irina,
Nelson Gordon L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.1125
Subject(s) - materials science , flammability , polycarbonate , fumed silica , polymer , nanocomposite , thermal stability , polystyrene , thermal decomposition , composite material , chemical engineering , inert , blowing agent , polymer nanocomposite , organic chemistry , polyurethane , chemistry , engineering
Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) were prepared by a single‐screw extrusion approach. Three polymers were investigated. They are polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), and polycarbonate (PC). The nanofillers employed in this research were fumed nanosilica and alumina. The resulting PNCs were subjected to a thermal stability study, UL94 evaluation and Cone calorimetry characterization, to demonstrate the chemical composition effects on the thermal degradation process and flammability of PNCs. The results show that silica as an “inert” filler enhanced the thermal stability of PNCs by radical trapping and chain mobility restriction effects. On the other hand, the “active” nanofiller alumina showed an additional heterogeneous catalyzing effect during the polymer decomposition process. The difference in decomposition mechanism for silica and alumina greatly affected a number of key physical parameters of polymer melts, which in turn changed the flammability of corresponding PNCs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.