Preparation and flammability of a novel intumescent flame-retardant poly(ethylene- co-vinyl acetate) system

• Published in: Polymer degradation and stability Vol. 93; no. 12; pp. 2186 - 2192
• Main Authors: Wang, De-Yi, Cai, Xiao-Xia, Qu, Ming-Hai, Liu, Yun, Wang, Jun-Sheng, Wang, Yu-Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Compounding ingredients; Cone calorimeter; Exact sciences and technology; Fireproof agents; Flame retardance; Intumescence; Poly(ethylene- co-vinyl acetate); Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers; Cone calorimeter; Intumescence; Poly(ethylene- co-vinyl acetate); Flame retardance; Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate); Flame retardant; Oxygen phosphorus heterocycle; Experimental study; Oxygen index; Property formulation relationship; Thermal stability; Thermal properties; EVA; Additive; Ammonium Polyphosphates; Bicyclic compound; Flammability; Organic phosphate; Chemical synthesis
• ISSN: 0141-3910; 1873-2321
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2008.07.032

A phosphorus-containing flame retardant, 4-(5,5-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-yloxymethyl)-2,6,7-trioxa-1-phospha-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-1-oxide (MOPO), was synthesized successfully and characterized. The flame retardancy and thermal behavior of a new intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) system for EVA, which was made of MOPO and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, vertical burning test (UL-94), cone calorimeter, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). An LOI value of 28.4 and UL-94 V-0 rating can be achieved when the total loading of MOPO and APP was 30 wt.%. The results from cone calorimeter indicate that both the heat release rate (HRR) and the total heat release (THR) of IFR-EVA decreased significantly compared with those of neat EVA. TG curves showed that the amount of residues increased significantly when intumescent additives were added; it also could be found that the LOI values increased with the increase in char residues. Meanwhile, morphology of the residues obtained from burning IFR-EVA in LOI test was studied through the SEM observations and rich compact char layers could explain the excellent flame retardance.