Rapid screening test for flame retardation of wood, and its applicability to thermoplastic polymer systems

Abstract

A rapid screening process was developed to investigate the flame-retardant properties of new materials and compositions. Wooden tongue depressors ("sticks") were coated in solutions/suspensions of compositions of interest and tested in a method similar to that of the UL-94 vertical burn test. The concentration of additives applied to the wooden sticks, as well as the additive application and drying times influenced the burning performance of the sticks, a useful screening method for testing flame retardants applied to wood products. The most promising combination of flame retardants from the wooden stick tests were then compounded into polyolefins, which were tested according to the UL(94) vertical burn protocol. A strong correlation was found between UL(94) results for low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene and polypropylene, and the wooden stick flammability data. This test, therefore, shows promise as a simple, inexpensive, and rapid way to screen new materials and compositions for flammability. V C 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46602.