Enhanced fire behavior of Casico-based foams

Abstract

The present work deals with the preparation and characterization of improved fireretardant ethylene-acrylate foams. A commercial formulation, usually employed in the cable industry sector, Casico, was modified using two different synergistic flame retardant (FR) systems: silica/zinc borate micro-sized particles (M) and montmorillonite/graphene nanoplatelets (N). The different composites were prepared by melt-blending and the foams by a compression-molding chemical foaming process (Casico-based foams). All Casico-based foams presented a mainly closed-cell structure.The presence of the nanoparticles system (N) promoted the formation of microcellular foams, with cell sizes lower than 100 µm, and narrow cell distributions. Nevertheless, when both flame retardant systems were added a higher cell collapse was noticed. Due to the foam's Casico-N structure and the presence of the stiff layered nanoparticles an increase of the temperature of β and α relaxations and specific loss modulus was registered for that foam respect to the Casico foam. In a general way, the Casico-based foams presented a thermal decomposition behavior similar to that of unfoamed Casico.Only a slight increase of the thermal stability of the step associated to the ionomer decomposition was observed respect to the Casico. Significant fire behavior improvements were observed for Casico-M-N foam. Specifically, this foam showed the lowest value of PHRR (peak of heat release rate), EHC (effective heat of combustion) and FIGRA (fire index growth rate), having therefore the lowest flammability, even lower than Casico unfoamed material.

Compressive Behavior of Aluminum Microfibers Reinforced Semi-Rigid Polyurethane Foams

“…Because of their very low thermal conductivity, one of the main uses of PFs is like a thermal insulator for modern buildings, refrigerated trucks/railway cars, ships designed to carry liquid natural gas, pipes, etc. [12,13]. Contrary to fully dense solid materials [14,15], the PFs are non-corrosive in a damp salt-water environment, so they are widely used in marine applications (rafts and floatation devices) [16,17,18].…”

Effects of a Phosphorus Flame Retardant System on the Mechanical and Fire Behavior of Microcellular ABS

“…In a general way, by increasing the weight reduction of ABS and ABS/PFR, a gradual reduction of the TTI, PHRR, THE, and time of combustion were registered (see Figure 12 and Table 3). This is not surprising, taking into account the lower weight fraction of polymer under the radiant heat flux [54].…”

Phosphate ester groups‐containing ricinoleic acid‐based Ca/Zn: Preparation and application as novel thermal stabilizer for PVC

“…To investigate the thermal dynamic mechanical behavior of the stabilized PVC, the temperature‐variable changes of storage modulus ( E ′) and damping (tan δ) were measured by DMA (Figure ). Obviously, the E ′ curves display a similar trend: from −40 to 40 °C, E ′ decreases sharply and the frozen segmental structure ever in the glass state is relaxed suddenly; above 40 °C, E ′ approaches a constant level below 10 MPa . It was found that PVC/LPPRA‐Ca/LPPRA‐Zn exhibited higher E ′ values from −75 to −25 °C, implying that they were more elastic and rigid than PVC/LRA‐Ca/LRA‐Zn and PVC/CaSt 2 /ZnSt 2 during the aforementioned temperature range.…”

“…Obviously, the E 0 curves display a similar trend: from 240 to 40 8C, E 0 decreases sharply and the frozen segmental structure ever in the glass state is relaxed suddenly; above 40 8C, E 0 approaches a constant level below 10 MPa. 40 It was found that PVC/LPPRA-Ca/LPPRA-Zn exhibited higher E 0 values from 275 to 225 8C, implying that they were more elastic and rigid than PVC/LRA-Ca/LRA-Zn and PVC/CaSt 2 /ZnSt 2 during the aforementioned temperature range. This is probably owing to the rigid benzene-ring structure from PPRA, which endows the PVC resin with certain high rigidity.…”