Effect of melamine cyanurate on thermal and flame-retardant behaviour of chopped glass fibre reinforced polyphenylene ether/polystyrene/nylon-6

Abstract

This paper deals with the effect of melamine cyanurate on the thermal and fire retardant behaviour of chopped glass fibre (40 wt.%) reinforced polyphenylene ether/polystyrene/nylon-6 (40/40/20 wt. %) which are processed in a twin screw co-rotating extruder. The composite specimens were fabricated by injection moulding. Addition of melamine cyanurate decreased the amount of toxic gases and organic volatile compounds, crystallinity, crystalline temperature and melt temperature but the same fire-retardant increased glass transition temperature and heat distortion temperature of the ternary alloy. Flame retardancy with V0 and V2 rating along with Limiting Oxygen Index 35% was observed in UL94 test for 5 wt. % and 10 wt. % addition of melamine cyanurate, respectively. Addition of melamine cyanurate increased tensile modulus and elongation at break but decreased the melt flow rate and the moisture content of the ternary alloy.