On the flame resistance behavior of PP/PET blends in the presence of nanoclay and a halogen-free flame retardant

Abstract

The flame retardancy behavior of PP/PET blends containing organoclay and a halogen-free flame retardant is explored. The morphological analysis reveals that the clays are mainly localized in PET bulk phase. The rheological analysis shows that the clay network structure is maintained in both PP-rich and PET-rich blends. The localization of clays in PET matrix exhibits a stronger impact on the rheological properties. Based on TGA it is found that the clays of network-like structure in the blends are only capable of improving the thermal stability of the PET-rich blend. In the same way, a higher efficiency of flame retardancy of the clays is observed for the PET-rich blend using the cone-calorimetry test, as compared to the PP-rich blend. Analysis of the flame retardancy behavior of PP/PET blends containing organoclay as well as a halogen-free flame retardant by means of cone calorimetry, TGA and LOI techniques combined with a detailed analysis of morphological and rheological properties reveals that the organoclays which are mainly localized in PET phase are capable of improving the thermal stability of the PET-rich blend.fx1 © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.