Flax/PP and Flax/PLA Thermoplastic Composites: Influence of Fire Retardants on the Individual Components

Polymers

BaljinderK. Kandola¹  JohnRussell Ebdon¹  Wiwat Pornwannachai¹ 

[1] Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, University of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton BL3 5AB, UK;

关键词: natural fibre-reinforced composites;    polypropylene;    polylactic acid;    flax fibre;    fire retardants;    pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry;   

DOI  :  10.3390/polym12112452

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study is based on previously reported reaction to fire properties of flax fibre-reinforced polymeric (polypropylene, PP and polylactic acid, PLA) composites, prepared by pre-treating the fabrics with different fire retardants (FRs) prior to composite preparation. It was observed that while all of these treatments were very effective in flax/PLA in terms of achieving a V-0 rating in a UL-94 test, only an organophosphonate FR was capable of achieving a V-0 rating for flax/PP. However, all fire-retardant treatments impaired the mechanical properties of the composites; the reduction was more in flax/PLA compared to flax/PP composites. To understand these effects further, here thermal analysis and pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry of the composites and each component separately treated with FRs have been conducted and the results analysed in terms of the effect on each component so as to observe any interaction between the different components. The results indicated that in flax/PLA composites, the water released during FR catalysed dehydration-decomposition of flax may hydrolyse PLA, changing decomposition pathway of PLA to produce less flammable volatile, hence resulting in reduced flammability.

【 授权许可】

Unknown