Premium
Organopalygorskite and Molybdenum Sulfide Combinations to Produce Mechanical and Processing Enhanced Flame‐Retardant PE/EVA Blend Composites with Low Magnesium Hydroxide Loading
Author(s) -
SánchezValdes Saúl,
RamírezVargas Eduardo,
RodriguezGonzalez José Alberto,
UribeCalderón Jorge Alonso,
Ramos deValle Luis Francisco,
ZuluagaParra José David,
MartínezColunga Juan Guillermo,
SolísRosales Silvia Guadalupe,
SánchezMartínez Anhely Carolina,
FloresFlores Rodolfo,
SaldívarGuerrero Rubén
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of vinyl and additive technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.295
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1548-0585
pISSN - 1083-5601
DOI - 10.1002/vnl.21758
Subject(s) - materials science , fire retardant , cone calorimeter , composite material , ethylene vinyl acetate , polyethylene , low density polyethylene , flammability , magnesium , ultimate tensile strength , polymer , chemical engineering , char , metallurgy , pyrolysis , engineering , copolymer
The effect of organopalygorskite (OPGS), molybdenum sulfide (MoS 2 ), and magnesium hydroxide (MH) combinations on fire retardant and flammability characteristics of low‐density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate (LDPE/EVA) blends was investigated using the limited oxygen index (LOI), horizontal burning test (UL‐94), and cone calorimeter measurements. The combination of OPGS with exfoliated MoS 2 nanosheets is employed to reduce the conventional hydroxide content and enhance the PE/EVA blend flame‐retardant properties with a notable improvement in mechanical and processing characteristics. The flame‐retardant properties of the composites were compared with a reference PE/EVA sample with 55 wt% of MH, which is commonly used for wire coating. The effect of each additive and the use of a maleated polyethylene (PEgMA) as a compatibilizing agent on PE/EVA flame‐retardant properties were analyzed. The results of the LOI and UL‐94 tests confirmed that the addition of OPGS combined with MoS 2 substantially increases the LOI value (26%) and reduces the burning rate (66%) and the pHRR (83%) compared with neat polymer blend and passes V‐0 rating during UL‐94 vertical test, which were very similar to the values obtained for the reference sample with higher MH content. In addition, the results indicate that the addition of these additives simultaneously increases the tensile modulus with mechanical properties even higher than the reference sample. Most important, the results indicated that these additive combination allows to reduce the total MH filler content to achieve the flame‐retardant requirements and with enhanced mechanical properties and with higher melt flow rates and lower viscosities facilitating the processing of the polymer composites at lower pressure in the processing extruder. Therefore, this additives combination provides a favorable way to obtain efficient flame‐retardant materials with halogen‐free, low smoke, and easy processing characteristics. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 26:434–442, 2020. © 2020 Society of Plastics Engineers