Flame Retardant Mechanism of a Polymer Clay Nanocomposite

Published

February 19, 2017

Author(s)

Takashi Kashiwagi, John R. Shields, Richard H. Harris Jr., W H. Awad

Abstract

The thermal and flammability properties of the polyamide 6/clay nanocomposites are measured to determine the flame retardant performance of the nanocomposites. The gasification process of the nanocomposite samples are observed and collected residues are analyzed to determine the flame retardant mechanism of the nanocomposites. The results show the formation of protective islands (consisting of clay particles and thermally stable organics including char) during burning/gasification, which cover a part of the sample surface and reduce the exposure of the sample surface to external radiant flux. However, in the level of clay contents used in this study (2 wt% and 5 wt%), the protective islands do not cover over the entire sample surface and vigorous bubbling of evolved degradation products through a molten layer is observed over the uncovered sample surface. A thinner sample tends to form less amount of the protective islands and to reduce the heat release rate and mass loss rate for the polyamide sample without clay due to a shallower bubbling layer. Thus, the effectiveness of flame retardancy of the nanocomposites becomes less with a thinner sample.

Citation

The Fourteenth Annual BCC Conference on Flame Retardancy

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

clay, flammability, nanocomposite, polyamide

Citation

Kashiwagi, T. , Shields, J. , Harris Jr., R. and Awad, W. (2017), Flame Retardant Mechanism of a Polymer Clay Nanocomposite, The Fourteenth Annual BCC Conference on Flame Retardancy (Accessed July 16, 2025)