Exfoliation modification of sepiolite and its application in flame-retardant unsaturated polyester resin

Abstract

To achieve low-smoke non-halogen (LSNH) flame-retardant unsaturated polyester resin(UPR), the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of UPR have been studied by incorporating organo-modified sepioplite and intumescent flame retardant. The exfoliated and organic sepiolite fiber has been prepared by acid-heated condition and ion exchange modification. The morphology and exfoliated result of the modified sepiolite were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The dispersion performance of the modified sepiolite in UPR has been investigated by SEM. The flame-retardant UPR composites were prepared by adding a compound flame retardant which contains modified sepiolite fiber, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER). The results of limiting oxygen index (LOI) and smoking density rate (SDR) tests indicate that the compound flame retardant have improved the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of UPR greatly.