Preparation of magnesium hydroxide by modifier-directed hydration and its effect on flame retardancy and mechanical properties of polypropylene

Abstract

With the rapid development of the polymer materials industry and the improvement of people's environmental awareness, magnesium hydroxide has been widely used in polymer materials due to its high decomposition temperature, non-toxic smoke suppression, and the advantages of neutralizing harmful gases produced by polymer combustion. However, the conventional preparation methods of magnesium hydroxide exhibit several issues, including high hydrophilicity, elevated polarity, and limited compatibility with polymers. This research proposes an improved method by adding sodium stearate and KH560 modifier, controlling the rate of magnesium oxide and preparing magnesium hydroxide flame retardants using a modifier-directed hydration method. Various characterizations confirmed its morphology, particle size and structure. The magnesium hydroxide exhibits low polarity, small particle size, stable structure and excellent hydrophobicity (with a contact angle of 120.32°, and a free energy of 1.34mN/m). In parallel, the magnesium hydroxide/polypropylene composites demonstrate excellent flame retardancy (LOI of 25%, V-1 grade) and simultaneously enhance the dispersion of magnesium hydroxide within the polypropylene matrix, improving the material's toughness and strength.