Use of Phosphorylated Chitosan/Alumina Nanoadditives for Polymer Performance Improvement.

In this research, a new generation of ternary nanocomposites based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), phosphorylated chitosan and surface modified alumina nanoparticles were fabricated in four steps. The phosphorylation process was targeted for the insertion of elemental phosphorus as a flame retardant agent in the final PET nanocomposite. Likewise, environmentally friendly nano-alumina was used for PET matrix to improve the flame retardant properties of PET in collaboration with elemental phosphorus. Alternatively, the presence of alumina nanoparticles in combination with phosphorylated chitosan improved the antibacterial activity of the PET matrix. Furthermore, the effects of the phosphorylated chitosan and alumina nanoparticles on the morphology and thermal properties of nanocomposites were inspected by different approaches. The structure and distribution of the nanoscale particles in PET were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyses were used for the in-depth evaluation of the thermal properties of prepared nanocomposites.

Starch as the Flame Retardant for Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Cells

The main purpose of this work is to illustrate the flame retardant properties of corn starch that is used as an additive to the classic electrolytes in lithium-ion cells. The advantages of using natural biomass include the increased biodegradability of the cell, compliance with the slogan of green chemistry, as well as the widespread availability and easy isolation of this ingredient. Due to the non-Newtonian properties of starch, it increases work safety and prevents the occurrence of thermal runaway as a shear-thinning fluid in the event of a collision. Thus, its use may, in the future, prevent explosions that affect electric cars with lithium-ion batteries without significantly degrading the electrochemical parameters of the cell. In the manuscript, the viscosity test, flash point measurements, the SET (self-extinguishing time) test and conductivity measurements were performed, in addition to the determination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for the anode system. Additionally, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, for both flow and conductivity, were determined for a deeper analysis; this constitutes the scientific novelty of this study. Through mathematical analysis, it was shown that the optimal amount of added starch is 5%. This is supported primarily by the determined kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and the fact that the system did not gel during heating.

Flame Retardant Properties and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene with Halogen and Halogen-Free Flame Retardant System

In this study, to improve the flame retardancy properties of polypropylene, DBDPE/Sb2O3 and DBDPE/HBCD/Sb2O3 flame retardant systems were used for flame retardant PP, and a halogen-free flame retardant PP material was prepared using the one-component intumescent flame retardant PNP1D. Tensile tests, impact tests, ultimate oxygen index, UL94V-0 vertical combustion, thermogravimetric analysis, rheological analysis and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the flame retardant properties and mechanical properties of the flame retardant PP. The test results show that both the ultimate oxygen index of DBDPE/Sb2O3 compounded flame retardant PP and the ultimate oxygen index of PNP1D flame retardant PP are nearly double that of pure PP, passing the UL-94V-0 flame retardant standard. The thermal decomposition temperature range of DBDPE/Sb2O3 compounded system and the thermal decomposition temperature range of PNP1D flame retardant PP both completely cover the thermal decomposition temperature range of both the DBDPE/Sb2O3 compound system and PNP1D flame retardant PP completely covered the thermal decomposition temperature range of pure PP. The tensile and impact strength of the DBDPE/Sb2O3 flame retardant system with 10% SK-80 is 50% higher than that of the DBDPE/Sb2O3 flame retardant system without SK-80. The modified PP with 25% PNP1D is nearly 1 time higher than pure PP in terms of carbon formation and has an ideal flame retardant effect.

Study the Effects of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Oxide Combinations on the Mechanical Properties and Flame Retardance of Epoxy Nanocomposites

Carbon-based fillers have attracted a lot of interest in polymer composites because of their ability to alter beneficial properties at low filler concentrations, good surface bonding with polymers, availability in different forms, etc. Carbon-based materials (such as fullerene, CNTs, graphene, and graphite) have been studied as fillers with enhanced fire resistance to epoxy resins. In order to reduce the flammability and improve the thermal stability of epoxy resin-based nanocomposite materials, which can be achieved by a simultaneous combination of graphene oxide and multiwall carbon nanotubes, the graphite oxide (GO) epoxy nanomaterial was developed by 1% wt.% GO combined with 0.02 wand 0.04 wt.% MWCNT. The homogeneous dispersion of GO and MWCNTs in epoxy resins is supported by ultrasonic vibrations. The results showed that when nanocomposite materials were present at the same time MWCNTs and GO, their mechanical properties and fire resistance were significantly improved. Nanomaterials are characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM imaging, mechanical strength, and flame retardant properties (LOI, UL94).

Glucose-Derived Carbon Nanospheres as Flame Retardant for Polyethylene Terephthalate

To improve the flame retardant properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glucose-derived carbon nanospheres (CNSs) were synthesized and introduced into PET matrix. The thermal property and flame retardancy of CNSs/PET composites were thoroughly investigated. Results showed that CNSs displayed good flame-retardant performance for PET. When blended with only 1.0 wt.% of CNSs, CNSs/PET exhibited a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 26.3 and a vertical combustion class of V-2, and its peak-heat release rate (pk-HRR) was reduced by 41.6%. Importantly, the initial decomposition temperature and the maximum weight loss temperature of CNSs/PET were 52°C and 199°C higher than those of PET, respectively. Furthermore, a condensed phase flame-retardant mechanism appeared in CNSs/PET, which formed a dense and thermally stable protective char layer during combustion. Overall, this study disclosed the flame-retardant potential and possible mechanism of CNSs for polyesters, which would benefit the development of carbon-based materials and flame-retardant polymers.

The Influence of Nanoparticles on Fire Retardancy of Pedunculate Oak Wood

Traditional flame retardants often contain halogens and produce toxic gases when burned. Hence, in this study, low-cost, environmentally friendly compounds that act as fire retardants are investigated. These materials often contain nanoparticles, from which TiO2 and SiO2 are the most promising. In this work, pedunculate oak wood specimens were modified with sodium silicate (Na2SiO3, i.e., water glass) and TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO nanoparticles using the vacuum-pressure technique. Changes in the samples and fire characteristics of modified wood were studied via thermal analysis (TA), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy, coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The results of TA showed the most significant wood decomposition at a temperature of 350 °C, with a non-significant influence of the nanoparticles. A dominant effect of sodium silicate was observed in the main weight-loss step, resulting in a drop in decomposition temperature within the temperature range of 36–44 °C. More intensive decomposition of wood treated with water glass and nanoparticles led to a faster release of non-combustible gases, which slowed down the combustion process. The results demonstrated that wood modifications using sodium silicate and nanoparticle systems have potentially enhanced flame retardant properties.

UV-Curing of Novel Tri-functional Melamine-phosphate Oligomer: An Effect of Coating With Polyurethane Acrylate Towards Mechanical, Thermal And Flame Retardant Properties

A novel melamine-phosphate trifunctional acrylate MPTO) was successfully synthesized via simple cyclization of hexamethylolmelamine (HMM) with phosphorous oxychloride (POCl3) followed by addition reaction of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA). The molecular structure of MPTO was identified by FTIR and 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and GC-MS spectra. The synthesized MPTO oligomer was impregnated with polyurethane acrylate to make the various formulation of UV-cured coatings. The polyurethanes-MPTO oligomers were coated on wood and galvanized steel panels. The properties of UV-cured PU-MPTO were studied by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), while their crystallinity by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) exhibited a high char yield of 18.4% at 800 °C. Moreover, coating films show prominent flame retardancy with UL-94 V-0 rating and maximum limiting index value (LOI) values of 34.8%, which are much higher than the common polyurethane coatings. The polyurethane coatings cured with MPTO exhibited excellent mechanical properties were estimated various tests such as adhesion, pencil hardness, solvent resistance, flexibility, and corrosion test. The coating performance revealed that MPTO improves the mechanical, thermal, and flame retardant properties because their unique structure contains melamine-phosphate moiety and long aliphatic chains of an acrylate ester. These high-performance melamine-based UV-curable coatings are promising for extensive applications.