Synergistic effect of supported nickel catalyst with intumescent flame-retardants on flame retardancy and thermal stability of polypropylene

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 102; no. 6; pp. 5988 - 5993
• Main Authors: Song, Rongjun, Zhang, Baoyan, Huang, Baotong, Tang, Tao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15-12-2006; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Compounding ingredients; Exact sciences and technology; Fireproof agents; flame retardancy; intumescent; Polymer industry, paints, wood; polypropylene; supported nickel catalyst; Technology of polymers; Performance evaluation; Propylene polymer; Flame retardant; Pentaerythritol; polypropylene; supported nickel catalyst; Experimental study; Oxygen index; Supported catalyst; Thermal stability; Thermal properties; Additive; intumescent; Concentration effect; Ammonium Polyphosphates; Reaction mechanism; Olefin polymer; Nickel; Mechanism of action; flame retardancy
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.25178

Supported nickel catalyst (Ni‐Cat) was used as a catalyst to improve the flame retardancy of intumescent flame‐retardants (IFR) systems based on ammonium polyphosphate and pentaerythritol (PETOL) in polypropylene (PP) matrix. Limited oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94 rating, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the flame retardancy and thermal stability of the PP systems, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to analyze the microstructure and composition of the chars formed during measuring LOI value and after combustion at 800°C. The catalytic effect of Ni‐Cat was shown in an increase of LOI, a change in the char microstructure, and improvement of the thermal stability in the PP systems, which result from the synergistic effect of Ni‐Cat and IFR. The results from FE‐SEM and FTIR spectra of the char can explain how this synergistic effect happened. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 5988–5993, 2006