Flammable, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Intumescent Flame Retardant PP/LDH Nanocomposites With Different Divalent Cations

The flammable, thermal, and mechanical properties of intumescent flame retardant (IFR) polypropylene/layered double hydroxide (PP/IFR/LDH) nanocomposites with the LDHs of different divalent cations and IFR system of ammonium polyphosphate/pentaerythritol (APP/PER) have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), cone calorimeter test (CCT), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 test, and mechanical measurements. The XRD results show that the exfoliated PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites possess the nanoscaled dispersion characteristic. The data from the CCT tests show the synergistic effect of LDHs with IFR can decrease considerably the HRR, MLR, and EHC values of the PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites, in which the pk-HRR, pk-MLR, and pk-EHC values of the PP/IFR/ZnAl-LDH sample decrease to 318 kW/m(2), 0.081 g/m(2) s, 61.8 MJ/kg from the corresponding values 506 kW/m(2), 0.115 g/m(2) s, 71.8 MJ/kg of the PP/IFR sample. The LOI and UL-94 data further support the evidence that the flame retardant synergistic effects of LDHs with lFR increase the LOI values and UL-94 rating, especially for the LDHs with the transition ions (Zn, Cu) the LOI values can reach 33% and the UL-94 pass the V-0 rating. The TGA results demonstrate the LDHs can greatly improve the thermal stabilities of PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites by increasing the thermo-oxidation decomposition temperature and charred residues. The morphological structures observed by SEM have demonstrated the LDHs can promote formation of compact charred layers. The data from the mechanical tests show the tensile strength and elongation at break of the PP/IFR/LDH samples are basically unchanged compared with the PP/IFR sample. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:1000-1006, 2009. (C) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers