Combustion behavior of poly(phenylene ether)/polystyrene alloys as observed with a cone calorimeter

Decomposition and the surface of poly(phenylene ether) (PPE)/polystyrene (PS) alloys during combustion have been studied. Average heat release rate and peak heat release rate decreased with increasing PPE content up to 50 wt% in the PPE/PS alloys and were not affected over 50 wt%. The result with a cone calorimeter was compared with the results of TGA, the Underwriters Laboratory UL-94 test, and the computer simulation of the interaction of PPE with benzene rings. It was suggested that PS which does not form a complex with PPE rules the combustion of the entire material when the content of PPE is low, and the combustion behavior of PPE ruled the entire material when the content of PPE became 1/2 or more, because the polymer chain of PS formed a complex with PPE.