Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of fire performance of linear low-density polyethylene containing novel intumescent flame retardant

  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A novel single-molecule intumescent flame retardant, melamine salt of montmorillonite phosphate (MMP), was synthesized and characterized by FTIR and XRD. The effect of MMP on the thermal stability and flammability properties of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, vertical burning test (UL-94V), and cone calorimeter. In addition, the synergistic effect between MMP and low concentrations from zinc borate (ZB) on LLDPE thermal stability and flammability properties was investigated. The results showed that addition of MMP and MMP/ZB to LLDPE improved the thermal stability at high temperatures and enhanced the char formation at 750 °C. UL-94V test results presented that LLDPE achieved V-0 rating at (30%MMP/5%ZB) loading level. The cone calorimeter data showed that MMP and MMP/ZB considerably reduced peak of heat release rate, mean heat release rate, total heat release, and mean mass loss rate of LLDPE. The data of fire performance index, fire growth rate index, and maximum average rate of heat emission indicated that MMP and MMP/ZB additives reduced the fire risks of LLDPE. The digital photographs, SEM images, and EDXS analysis for the char residue after cone calorimeter test showed the formation of coherent, compact, and thermally stable char layer on the polymer composites surfaces.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chiu SH, Wang WK. Dynamic flame retardancy of polypropylene filled with ammonium polyphosphate, pentaerythritol and melamine additives. Polymer. 1998;39(10):1951–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bourbigot S, Le Bras M, Duquesne S, Rochery M. Recent advances for intumescent polymers. Macromol Mater Eng. 2004;289(6):499–511.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sabyasachi G, Gang S, Katherine H, Mark HE. Effect of nitrogen additives on flame retardant action of tributyl phosphate: phosphorus–nitrogen synergism. Polym Degrad Stab. 2008;93:99–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Wen P, Wang X, Wang B, Yuan B, Zhou K, Song L, Hu Y, Yuen RKK. One-pot synthesis of a novel s-triazine-based hyperbranched charring foaming agent and its enhancement on flame retardancy and water resistance of polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2014;110:165–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lai X, Tang S, Li H, Zeng X. Flame-retardant mechanism of a novel polymeric intumescent flame retardant containing caged bicyclic phosphate for polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2015;113:22–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Yang K, Xu MJ, Li B. Synthesis of N-ethyl triazine–piperazine copolymer and flame retardancy and water resistance of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2013;98(7):1397–406.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen X, Liu L, Zhuo J, Jiao C. Influence of iron oxide green on smoke suppression properties and combustion behavior of intumescent flame retardant epoxy composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;119:625–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Xiang D, ShiBin N, ZeGong L, De-yi W. Study of the synergistic effect of nickel phosphate nanotubes (NiPO-NT) on intumescent flame retardant polypropylene composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;126:1323–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wang Y, Zhang S, Wu X, Lu C, Cai Y, Ma L, Shi G, Yang L. Effect of montmorillonite on the flame-resistant and mechanical properties of intumescent flame-retardant poly(butylenes succinate) composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2017. doi:10.1007/s10973-017-6092-z.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hassan M, Nour M, Abdelmonem Y, Makhlouf G, Abdelkhalik A. Synergistic effect of chitosan-based flame retardant and modified clay on the flammability properties of LLDPE. Polym Degrad Stab. 2016;133:8–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Liping G, Guangyao Z, Yonghong Z, Lihong H, Guodong F. Thermal performances and fire behaviors of rosin-based rigid polyurethane foam nanocomposites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;119:411–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Nie S, Zhou C, Peng C, Liu L, Zhang C, Dong X, Wang D. Thermal oxidative degradation kinetics of novel intumescent flame-retardant polypropylene composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;120:1183–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jiao C, Zhang C, Dong J, Chen X, Qian Y, Li S. Combustion behavior and thermal pyrolysis kinetics of flame retardant epoxy composites based on organic–inorganic intumescent flame retardant. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2015;119:1759–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Feng Z, Pengfei C, Yong W, Shaoxiang L. Smoke suppression and synergistic flame retardancy properties of zinc borate and diantimony trioxide in epoxy-based intumescent fire-retardant coating. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2016;123:1319–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Makhlouf G, Hassan M, Nour M, Abdelmonem Y, Abdelkhalik A. A novel intumescent flame retardant: synthesis and its application for linear low-density polyethylene. Arab J Sci Eng. 2017. doi:10.1007/s13369-017-2443-0.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bourbigot S, Le Bras M, Delobel R, Decressain R, Amourex JP. Synergistic effect of zeolite in an intumescence process: study of the carbonaceous structures using solid-state NMR. J Chem Soc Faraday Trans. 1996;92:149–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Xia Y, Jin F, Mao Z, Guan Y, Zheng A. Effects of ammonium polyphosphate to pentaerythritol ratio on composition and properties of carbonaceous foam deriving from intumescent flame-retardant polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2014;107:64–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chiang WY, Hu H. Phosphate-containing flame-retardant polymers with good compatibility to polypropylene. II. Effect of the flame-retardant polymers on polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci. 2001;82(10):2399–403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ma ZL, Zhao M, Hu HF, Ding H, Zhang J. Compatibilization of intumescent flame retardant/polypropylene composites based on α-methacrylic acid grafted polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci. 2002;83(14):3128–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kiliaris P, Papaspyrides CD. Polymer/layered silicate (clay) nanocomposites: an overview of flame retardancy. Prog Polym Sci. 2010;35(7):902–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Liu S, Ying J, Zhou X, Xie X, Mai Y. Dispersion, thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene/magnesium hydroxide nanocomposites compatibilized by SEBS-g-MA. Compos Sci Technol. 2009;69:1873–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Liu Y, Wang Q. Catalytic action of phospho-tungstic acid in the synthesis of melamine salts of pentaerythritol phosphate and their synergistic effects in flame retarded polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2006;91(10):2513–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wang X, Li Y, Liao W, Gu J, Li D. A new intumescent flame-retardant: preparation, surface modification, and its application in polypropylene. Polym Adv Technol. 2008;19(8):1055–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Zhang F, Sun W, Wang Y, Liu B. Influence of the pentaerythritol phosphate melamine salt content on the combustion and thermal decomposition process of intumescent flame-retardant ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer composites. J Appl Polym Sci. 2015;132(26):42148–54.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Tian Y, He Y, Yu L, Deng Y, Zheng Y, Sun F, Liu Z, Wang Z. In situ and one-step synthesis of hydrophobic zinc borate nanoplatelets. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp. 2008;312(2):99–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Nayak PS, Singh BK. Instrumental characterization of clay by XRF, XRD and FTIR. Bull Mater Sci. 2007;30:235–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Liang B, Hong X, Zhu M, Gao C, Wang C, Tsubaki N. Synthesis of novel intumescent flame retardant containing phosphorus, nitrogen and boron and its application in polyethylene. Polym Bull. 2015;72(11):2967–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lai X, Qiu J, Li H, Zeng X, Tang S, Chen Y, Chen Z. Flame-retardant and thermal degradation mechanism of caged phosphate charring agent with melamine pyrophosphate for polypropylene. Int J Polym Sci. 2015;2015:11–22.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Tang Y, Hu Y, Li B, Liu L, Wang Z, Chen Z, Fan W. polypropylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites and intumescent, flame-retardant montmorillonite synergism in polypropylene nanocomposites. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem. 2004;42(23):6163–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Xu ZZ, Huang JQ, Chen MJ, Tan Y, Wang YZ. Flame retardant mechanism of an efficient flame-retardant polymeric synergist with ammonium polyphosphate for polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab. 2013;98(10):2011–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Sacristán M, Hull TR, Stec A, Ronda J, Galià M, Cádiz V. Cone calorimetry studies of fire retardant soybean-oil-based copolymers containing silicon or boron: comparison of additive and reactive approaches. Polym Degrad Stab. 2010;95(7):1269–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Kandola BS, Krishnan L. Fire performance evaluation of different resins for potential application in fire resistant structural marine composites. Fire Saf Sci. 2014;11:769–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fire and Explosion Protection Lab, National Institute for Standards, El-Sadat Str., El-Haram, P.O. Box 136, El-Giza, 12211, Egypt

    Ghada Makhlouf, Mohamed Hassan, Mohamed Nour & Aksam Abdelkhalik

  2. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, El-Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

    Yasser K. Abdel-Monem

Authors
  1. Ghada Makhlouf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohamed Hassan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohamed Nour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yasser K. Abdel-Monem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Aksam Abdelkhalik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ghada Makhlouf.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Makhlouf, G., Hassan, M., Nour, M. et al. Evaluation of fire performance of linear low-density polyethylene containing novel intumescent flame retardant. J Therm Anal Calorim 130, 1031–1041 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6418-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6418-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation