Melamine polyphosphate and pentaerythritol were used as intumescent flame retardants to improve the flame retardance (FR) of polypropylene. As a synergistic agent, nano-ZrO2 was incorporated into the composites at different proportions. The synergistic effects of nano-ZrO2 were studied by cone calorimeter tests and thermal gravimetric analysis. Based on Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, it was evident that nano-ZrO2 efficiently promoted the formation of charred layers with phosphocarbonaceous structures and enhanced the FR of the composites.
Bourbigot, S. , Le Bras, M., Duquesne , S. and Rochery, M. (2004). Recent Advances for Intumescent Polymers, Macromol. Mater. Eng., 289(6): 499-511.
2.
Zhang, S. and Horrocks, A.R. ( 2003). A Review of Flame Retardant Polypropylene Fibres, Prog . Polym. Sci., 28: 1517-1538.
3.
Price, D., Kelly Pyrah, K., Hull, T.R., Milnes, G.J., Ebdon, J.R., Hunt, B.J., Paul Joseph, P. and Konkel, C.S. ( 2001). Flame Retarding Poly(methyl methacrylate) with Phosphorus Containing Compounds: Comparison of an Additive with a Reactive Approach, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 74: 441-447.
4.
Nie, S.B. , Hu, Y., Song , S., He , S.Q. and Yang, D.D. (2008). Study on a Novel and Efficient Flame Retardant Synergist-Nanoporous Nickel Phosphates VSB-1 with Intumescent Flame Retardants in Polypropylene, Polym . Adv. Technol., 19: 489-495.
5.
Laoutid, F., Bonnaud, L., Alexandre, M., Lopez-Cuesta, J.-M. and Dubois, Ph. ( 2009). New Prospects in Flame Retardant Polymer Materials: From Fundamentals to Nanocomposites, Mater. Sci. Eng., R, 63(3): 100-125.
6.
Serge, B. and Duquesne, S. ( 2007). Fire Retardant Polymers: Recent Developments and Opportunities , J. Mater. Chem., 17: 2283-2300.
7.
Vannier, A. , Duquesne, S., Bourbigot, S., Castrovinci, A., Camino, G. and Delobel, R. ( 2008). The Use of POSS as Synergist in Intumescent Recycled Poly(ethylene terephthalate), Polym. Degrad. Stab., 93: 818-826.
8.
Wang, Z.Y., Han, E.H. and Ke, W. ( 2006). Effect of Acrylic Polymer and Nanocomposite with Nano-SiO2 on Thermal Degradation and Fire Resistance of APP-DPER-MEL Coating, Polym . Degrad. Stab., 91: 1937-1947.
9.
Laachachi, A. , Cochez, M., Leroy , E., Ferriol, M. and Lopez-Cuesta , J.M. (2007 ). Fire Retardant Systems in Poly(methyl methacrylate): Interactions Between Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Phosphinates, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 92: 61-69.
10.
Laachachi, A. , Cochez, M., Leroy , E., Ferriol, M. and Lopez-Cuesta , J.M. (2006 ). Effect of Al2O3 and TiO2 Nanoparticles and APP on Thermal Stability and Flame Retardance of PMMA, Polym. Adv. Technol. , 17: 327-334.
11.
Roberta, D.M. and Jan, K. (2005). Heterogeneous Environmental Catalysis-A Gentle Art: CeO2-ZrO2 Mixed Oxides as a Case History, Catal. Today, 100(1-2): 27-35.
12.
Caracoche, M.C., Rivas, P.C., Cervera, M.M., Caruso, R., Benavídez , E., Oscar, D.S. and Escobar, M.E. ( 2000). Zirconium Oxide Structure Prepared by the Sol-gel Route: I, the Role of the Alcoholic Solvent, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 83(2): 377-384.
13.
Isitman, N.A. and Kaynak, C. (2010). Tailored Flame Retardancy via Nanofiller Dispersion State: Synergistic Action Between a Conventional Flame-Retardant and Nanoclay in High-Impact Polystyrene, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 95: 1759-1768.
14.
Shih, Y.F., Wang, Y.T., Jeng, R.J. and Wei, K.M. ( 2004). Expandable Graphite Systems for Phosphorus-Containing Unsaturated Polyesters. I. Enhanced Thermal Properties and Flame Retardancy, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 86: 339-348.
15.
Yang, D.D., Hu, Y., Song, L., Nie, S.B., He, S.Q. and Cai, Y.B. ( 2008). Catalyzing Carbonization Function of a-ZrP Based Intumescent Fire Retardant Polypropylene Nanocomposites, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 93: 2014-2018.
16.
Tang, Y. and Lewin, M. ( 2008). New Aspects of Migration and Flame Retardancy in Polymer Nanocomposites, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 93: 1986-1995.
17.
Qin, H.L. , Zhang, S.M., Zhao, C.G., Feng, M., Yang, M.S., Shu , Z.J. and Yang, S.S. (2004). Thermal Stability and Flammability of Polypropylene/Montmorillonite Composites, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 85: 807-813.
18.
Demir, H., Arkis, E. and Balkose, D. ( 2005). Synergistic Effect of Natural Zeolites on Flame Retardant Additives, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 89(3): 478-483.
19.
Li, G.X. , Yang, J.F., He , T.S., Wu , Y.H. and Liang, G.Z. (2008). An Investigation of the Thermal Degradation of the Intumescent Coating Containing MoO3 and Fe2O3, Surf. Coat. Technol., 202: 3121-3128.
20.
Chen, X.L. and Jiao, C.M. ( 2009). Synergistic Effects of Hydroxyl Silicone Oil on Intumescent Flame Retardant Polypropylene System, Fire Safety J., 44: 1010-1014.
