Synthetic Hydromagnesite as Flame Retardant. A Study of the Stearic Coating Process

A synthetic hydromagnesite obtained from an industrial by-product rich in magnesium oxide was employed and evaluated as a non-halogenated flame retardant for poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate). The filler was characterized with different techniques (such as specific surface area, TGA, particle morphology and size measurements, WAXS). Significant differences were found between the synthetic hydromagnesite and the natural one. Synthetic hydromagnesite was coated with stearic acid and the effectiveness of the coating process was studied by the dye adsorption method and sedimentation volume measurements. The amount of coating agent ranged from 1 to 4.5%. This factor was found to have a significant effect on the thermal decomposition behaviour of the filler. A poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (27% of VA) was filled with the coated synthetic grades of hydromagnesite as well as with two commercial flame retardants and different physicochemical properties were evaluated, including their flame retardant effect.