A new bio‐based flame retardant simply synthesized: Improving the flame retardancy and thermal stability of low‐density polyethylene together with melamine cyanurate

Abstract

A novel bio-based flame retardant, MHPA, was synthesized with magnesium hydroxide (MH) and phytic acid (PA) and was added to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with melamine cyanurate (MCA) to investigate the flame retardant, mechanical property and thermal stability of the LDPE composites. The limit oxygen index (LOI) and cone calorimeter test (CCT) results showed that the combination of MHPA and MCA can increase the LOI of LDPE composite to 21.6%, and its peak of heat release rate (pHRR), total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) values reduced by 46.8%, 20%, and 31.6% respectively compared with pure LDPE, while the residue after CCT was increased to 24.4%. Moreover, the addition of MCA can effectively improve the thermal stability of LDPE/MHPA composites and suppress their early decomposition.

Replacing Harmful Flame Retardants with Biodegradable Starch-Based Materials in Polyethylene Formulations

“…The market is forecast to grow at a 3% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2023 to 2028 [6]. However, due to its long aliphatic chains, LDPE is highly flammable and cannot tolerate temperatures above 70 • C, which limits its application in many sectors, such as transportation, electronics, among others [7,8]. Therefore, the addition of flame retardants (FRs) to LDPE is a simple strategy to reduce the flammability of this polymer, increase its survival time in the event of fire and ensure the safety levels required for each application.…”

“…In view of current environmental concerns, it is therefore highly desirable to develop new halogen-free FRs that are both safe and can be obtained from renewable and sustainable sources [12,13]. Several biobased materials, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) [14], β-cyclodextrin [14], organic phosphorus compounds [15], phytic acid [7], polydopamine or tannic acid [12], have been proposed as environmentally friendly FRs. The use of various natural polymers, such as starch, wood flour, chitosan, lignin, and others as FRs has also been demonstrated with the aim of improving both the biodegradability and flame retardancy of polymer materials [13].…”

“…Starch from various sources has been successfully blended with LDPE via extrusion, resulting in blends with inferior mechanical properties in comparison with neat LDPE [16]. In fact, plasticizing starch with different molecules, namely water, polyols, or choline phytate (CPA), to give the so-called thermoplastic starch (TPS) is necessary to provide some workability and mechanical properties to starch-based materials [7,17,18]. However, the incorporation of TPS into LDPE results in materials with poor mechanical properties.…”