Effect of hydrated fillers and red phosphorus on the limiting oxygen index of poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl actate)‐poly(vinyl butyral) and low density polyethylene‐poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) blends

Abstract

The limiting oxygen index (LOI) values of EVA‐PVB and low density polyethylene (LDPE)‐poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) polymer blends containing hydrated filler‐type flame retardants and red phosphorus were measured. When used as the sole flame retardant, magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)2] and alumina trihydrate (ATH) performed best in EVA and PVB, respectively. Magnesium hydroxide addition had a limited effect on the LOI of plasticized PVB, and addition of red phosphorus made little difference. This result is attributed to a mismatch between the decomposition temperature of Mg(OH)2 and the temperature at which the PVB plasticizer vaporizes. Otherwise, low‐level addition of red phosphorus significantly improved LOI values. The presence of hydroxyl groups on the polymer backbone had a beneficial effect with respect to LOI values in ATH‐filled blends. An LOI value of 30 was achieved in EVOH with as little as 32% of ATH and 3% of red phosphorus. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

Effect of partial substitution of aluminum hydroxide with colemanite in fire retarded low-density polyethylene

“…Therefore, much of the recent research on the development of halogen-free flame-retarded resins has focused on the use of combinations of additives to decrease total additive loading by improving the fire retardant effectiveness of hydrated mineral fillers. In previous studies, combinations of hydrated mineral fillers with melamine and its salts, 2–4 red phosphorus, 5–9 magnesium hydroxide, 10,11 huntite and hydromagnesite, 12,13 and expandable graphite 5,14,15 were considered. The reader is referred to a comprehensive review by Weil and Levchik 16 on this matter.…”

Recent developments in fire retardancy of polybutylene succinate

“…Materials with the LOI value greater than 27% (also be identified as 28% [46,47]) are conventionally regarded as self-extinguishing materials. Oppositely, materials with LOI lower than 21% signify highly combustible in air, and materials with a LOI value between 21% to 27% are defined as slow burning materials [48]. Interestingly, according to the work of Van Krevelen, an empirical equation (Eq.…”

Investigations of the Montmorillonite and Aluminium Trihydrate Addition Effects on the Ignitability and Thermal Stability of Asphalt

“…The limiting oxygen index (LOI) technique can provide a quantitative measurement on the flammability of polymers. Generally, polymers with LOI < 21% belong to flammable materials, where those with 21% < LOI < 27% are conventionally classified as "slow burning" materials and LOI > 27% as "self-extinguishing" materials [22].…”