Flame retardant research on innovative lightweight wood‐plastic composites

Date palm fiber (DPF) holds great potential for composite materials, but its flammability limits its practical applications. In this study, DPF was modified using a pad-drying method to impregnate it with a 5 wt.% solution of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP). These treated fibers were then utilized to fabricate poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)- (PHB-) based composites. The resulting thermal insulators were comprehensively evaluated for their flammability, physical, mechanical, and thermophysical properties, as well as morphological and thermal stability characteristics. The findings revealed a significant reduction in flame spread and smoke suppression; however, the concentration used is not sufficient to achieve the desired rating grades. The thermal insulation capacity of the modified fiber composites was substantially enhanced, particularly with the 40% PHB/DPF-ADP composite displaying the lowest thermal conductivity at 0.0564 W/m.K. Moreover, the presence of gaps and voids at the interface led to a reduction in tensile strength to 4-7 MPa. Additionally, the modified fiber composites exhibited significantly reduced water absorption (~0.76%), attributed to the formation of a highly water-resistant substance containing a furan compound. This work provides a simple and effective approach for achieving durable flame retardancy and long-term thermal insulation performance, offering promising opportunities for the practical application of biobased PHB composites.

show abstract

Synergistic Flame-Retardant Effects of SiO₂ Sol and Intumescent Flame Retardant in Wood Flour-Polypropylene Composites

Xu,

Lu,

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) are widely used green materials composed of a polymer matrix with wood as a filler. However, due to the flammable nature of the substrates used in WPC, there is a fire hazard associated with their use. To address this, this study developed WPCs by adding SiO2 sol and an intumescent flame retardant (IFR), which included ammonium polyphosphate (APP), melamine (MEL), and double pentaerythritol (DPER). This approach aimed to investigate their combined effects on thermal stability and flame retardancy. FTIR and laser particle size analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of SiO2 sol and its adhesion to wood flour (WF). The WPC adding both SiO2 sol and IFR exhibited excellent flame-retardant performance, with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 39.0%, a UL-94 V-0 rating, and a char residue of 28.1%. Cone calorimeter tests showed that the char layer expanded to approximately 4 cm, significantly reducing the total heat release (THR) and heat release rate (HRR). The formation of a silicon-containing char layer from SiO2 sol, coupled with an intumescent char layer from the cellulose-IFR reaction, created a composite multi-layered structure that effectively insulated against heat. These findings suggest that the developed WPCs exhibit enhanced flame retardancy, offering potential for application in fire-safe building materials.

show abstract

Flame retardant research on innovative lightweight wood‐plastic composites

Cited by 3 publications

References 29 publications

Functional wood-plastic composites: A review of research progress on flame retardancy, weather resistance and antimicrobial properties

Functional wood-plastic composites: A review of research progress on flame retardancy, weather resistance and antimicrobial properties

Enhancing Thermal Insulation of Poly(β-Hydroxybutyrate) Composites with Charring-Foaming Agent-Coated Date Palm Wood

Synergistic Flame-Retardant Effects of SiO₂ Sol and Intumescent Flame Retardant in Wood Flour-Polypropylene Composites

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About