Preparation of (Fe)MIL-101 on short carbon fibers to improve the flame retardancy,smoke suppression,and mechanical of epoxy resin

Nano (Fe)MIL-101 particles were grafted on the short carbon fibers (SCFs) by in situ growth method to prepare (Fe)MIL-101@SCFs. The flame-retarded composites of epoxy resin (EP) were fabricated with combination of (Fe)MIL-101@SCFs and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). The composites showed good flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and mechanical properties simultaneously. The main heat release rate peak of the flame-retarded composites was reduced and delayed evidently in comparison with pristine EP. The high amount of residual char with coherent and dense structure was formed owing to the catalytic char formation of (Fe)MIL-101 as well as the strengthening action of SCF. The improvement in mechanical properties of the flame-retarded composite was due to the reinforcement effects of (Fe)MIL-101@SCFs and its action of interfacial adjustment. This research solved the contradiction between the flame retardancy and mechanical properties of EP, and proposed a new method to prepare the mechanically reinforced and flame retardant EP.     

Nanocarbon-Based Flame Retardant Polymer Nanocomposites

In recent years, nanocarbon materials have attracted the interest of researchers due to their excellent properties. Nanocarbon-based flame retardant polymer composites have enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties compared with traditional flame retardant composites. In this article, the unique structural features of nanocarbon-based materials and their use in flame retardant polymeric materials are initially introduced. Afterwards, the flame retardant mechanism of nanocarbon materials is described. The main discussions include material components such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerene (in preparing resins), elastomers, plastics, foams, fabrics, and film–matrix materials. Furthermore, the flame retardant properties of carbon nanomaterials and their modified products are summarized. Carbon nanomaterials not only play the role of a flame retardant in composites, but also play an important role in many aspects such as mechanical reinforcement. Finally, the opportunities and challenges for future development of carbon nanomaterials in flame-retardant polymeric materials are briefly discussed.     

Thermal‐crosslinked polyacrylonitrile fiber compacts

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) textile fibers, in the form of fabrics or threads, were compacted in a heat‐pressure cycle and crosslinked by nitrile polymerization to form a thermoset composite article, whose mechanical properties were found to surpass those of commercially available polypropylene (PP) fiber counterparts. Additional advantages of the PAN compacts included their significant thermal stability (>300°C, i.e., twice that of PP) in addition to their flame retardancy, thereby rendering them as the structural material of choice for applications where heat protection and fire resistance are essential. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire Retarded Insulating Sheets from Recycled Materials

In this work we aimed at forming partially recycled polymer composites of appropriate mechanical properties and flame retardancy. Multilayer composite structures proved to be suitable to fulfill all of these requirements. Core-shell structures presented here contain two-component thermosets, i.e. epoxy, recycled polyurethane and polyisocyanurate, as matrices reinforced with waste fillers such as short basalt fibers and wood chips. Flame retardancy and mechanical properties of the core-shell structures were investigated by the conventional methods of characterization. The developed cost-effective multilayer composites can be applied as heat and sound insulating panels e.g. multifunctional sheets for construction or automotive industry.     

Flame retarded self‐reinforced polypropylene composites prepared by injection moulding

A method was elaborated to prepare flame retarded self‐reinforced polypropylene composites by injection moulding. The effect of intumescent flame retardant (FR) loading was comprehensively investigated on the morphology, flammability, and mechanical properties of the self‐reinforced polypropylene composites and compared with non‐reinforced counterparts of identical additive contents. Homogeneous distribution of both the reinforcing polypropylene fibres and the FR additive was achieved endowing significantly improved strength and stiffness accompanied with increased fire resistance. At 10% FR content, 37% reduction of peak of heat release rate, UL94 V‐2 rating, and LOI of 24.5 vol% were achieved without compromising the improved mechanical performance of the injection moulded self‐reinforced composites, ie, a 4‐fold increase of tensile strength and a 7‐fold increase of tensile modulus were reached compared with the non‐reinforced counterpart. At higher loading (15% FR), the FR properties improved further (LOI of 29.5 vol% was reached); however, due to the abrasive effect of the FR particles in the matrix, the structure of the reinforcing fibres tends to get damaged during the thermo‐mechanical processing, and thus their reinforcing efficacy deteriorated. It is demonstrated that the combination of polymer fibre reinforcement with other fillers (such as FRs) is advantageous and feasible even by injection moulding, but the balance between the individual attributed properties needs to be found.     

Surface treatment of Basalt fiber for use in automotive composites

Balancing the performance, durability and safety requirements of automotive systems with the regulatory landscape in an environment of climate change has accelerated the search for sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composites for automobile structures. Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (GFRP) are widely used in certain structures like front end modules and liftgate; However, they cannot be used in more demanding applications due to their low mechanical properties. Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (CFRP) are promising candidates for applications like bonnet, but their use is constrained by cost. Basalt fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (BFRP) are sustainable materials that can be positioned between GFRP and CFRP in terms of performance and cost-effectiveness. The mechanical performance of the BFRP depend on the quality of the fiber-matrix interface that aids in efficient load transfer from the matrix to the fiber. Typically, basalt fibers are inert in nature and need treatments to improve its adhesion to polymeric matrices. The major chemical treatments that are reviewed in this article include matrix functionalization, silane treatment, functionalized nanomaterial coating and plasma polymerization. The physical treatments reviewed include plasma treatment and milling. It is evident that chemically treating the basalt fiber with a functionalized nanomaterial yields BFRP with a good stiffness – toughness balance that can be used for challenging metal replacements as also in new emerging areas like sensing and 3D printing.     

Mechanical Properties and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis of Thermoplastic-Natural Fiber/Glass Reinforced Composites

The mechanical properties and dynamic behavior of thermoplastic composites based on polypropylene/glass fibers and polypropylene/natural fibers (i.e. kenaf, hemp, flax) are presented. A survey is given on some aspects, crucial for the use of these composites in structural and non-structural components such as their vibration-damping response, in relation to the composite compaction level and the manufacturing procedure. In order to investigate a wide vibration frequency range, including acoustic frequencies, different testing techniques, both with forced and free vibrations, were applied. A comparison between natural fiber and glass fiber reinforced laminates is presented. Compaction levels, allowing to obtain the best compromise between mechanical performance and damping response, are investigated.     

Effect of natural basalt fiber for EVA composites with nickel alginate‐brucite based flame retardant on improving fire safety and mechanical properties

The natural basalt fiber (BF) was incorporated into EVA composites with environmental‐friendly nickel alginate‐brucite based flame retardant (NiFR), to further improve the flame‐retardant effect and mechanical properties. The flame retardancy of EVA composites were characterized by LOI, UL 94, and cone test. With 55 wt% loading, 3BF/52NiFR had the highest LOI value of 31.9 vol.% in all fiber reinforced composites and pass UL 94V‐0 ratting. And comparing to 55B composite with untreated brucite, 3BF/52NiFR decreased peak of heat release rate by 47.8%, total heat release by 21.9%, and total smoke production by 35.5% and kept more residue 54.0% during cone test. Moreover, 3BF/52NiFR also enhanced the mechanical properties of composites by better compatibility with EVA matrix. BF/NiFR exert synergistic flame‐retardant effect major in promoting charring effect in condensed phase during combustion. The fire‐resisted and rigid BF into the char layer reinforced the intensity of protective barrier which prolonged the residence time of pyrolysis carbonaceous groups degraded from EVA matrix, resulting in less heat and smoke release.     

Flame retardancy of fibre-reinforced epoxy resin composites for aerospace applications

The applicability of phosphorus-containing reactive amine, which can be used in epoxy resins both as crosslinking agent and as flame retardant, was compared in an aliphatic and an aromatic epoxy resin system. In order to fulfil the strong requirements on mechanical properties of the aircraft and aerospace applications, where they are mostly supposed to be applied, carbon fibre-reinforced composites were prepared. The flame retardant performance was characterized by relevant tests and mass loss type cone calorimeter. Besides the flame retardancy, the tensile and bending characteristics and interlaminar shear strength were evaluated. The intumescence-hindering effect of the fibre reinforcement was overcome by forming a multilayer composite, consisting of reference composite core and intumescent epoxy resin coating layer, which proved to provide simultaneous amelioration of flame retardancy and mechanical properties of epoxy resins.     

Preparation of Intumescent Flame Retardant Polypropylene composite through Solid State Mechanochemical Method

Polypropylene (PP), with characteristics of good mechanical properties, good resistance to water and low cost, has been widely used in many fields such as building, transport, furniture and electrical industries. However, a fateful drawback of polypropylene is its high flammability,restricting its wider applications. Addition of flame retardants is an effective way to improve its flame retardancy. An effective halogen-free flame retardant system used is the mixture of melamine, ammounium phosphate and pentaerythritol (intumescent flame retardant). But how to enhance the dispersion of this mixture in polypropylene matrix is a big problem. A self-made mechanochemical reactor, pan type milling equipment, can exert strong shear and squeeze forces,and has good mixing function. As a result, a uniform dispersion of flame retardants in the polymer matrix can be expectably obtained by using this equipment.In this paper, flame-retarded Polypropylene (PP) composites with intumescent flame retardant (IFR) were prepared via solid state mechanochemical method (pan-mill) and conventional method (twin-roll masticator) respectively. Particle diameter analysis, melt flow index (MFI), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize these composites, and the mechanical properties and flame retardancy were also determined. The experimental results showed that the blend of PP and IFR were effectively pulverized from 3～4 mm to less than 300i m under the strong shear forces of pan-mill. With increasing the milling cycles, the MFI value of IFR/PP blend decreased first and then increased. The mechanical properties and flame retardancy of IFR/PP blends prepared by solid state mechanochemical method were proved to be better than those prepared by conventional method because of the dispersing function of pan-mill.Also it was found that IFRs were the nucleating agent for PP and the crystallinity of PP increased first and then decreased with increasing the milling cycles.     

Enzyme degradability of benzylated sisal and its self‐reinforced composites

To produce natural polymer based composite materials, sisal fibers were slightly benzylated and then molded into sheets. Because the modified skin portions of the fibers acquired certain thermoplasticity and the unmodified core parts remain constant, the resultant composites fall into the category of self‐reinforced ones. The present article is devoted to the evaluation of the materials biodegradability with the help of cellulase. It was found that the inherent biodegradability of plant fibers is still associated with the benzylated sisal and the molded composites, as characterized by structural variation, weight loss and deterioration of mechanical performance of the materials. Reaction temperature and time, pH value of the enzyme solution, and dosage of the enzyme had significant influences on the decomposition behavior of the materials. In principle, the enzymolysis of sisal and its self‐reinforced composites is a diffusion‐controlled process. Due to the insusceptibility of lignin to cellulase and the hindrance of it to the cellulase solution, the degradation rates of the materials are gradually slowed down with an increase in time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of flame retarded self-reinforced composites from automotive shredder plastic waste

Multilayered self-reinforced composites were developed from a density-separated light fraction of automotive shredder waste of high polyolefin content, which can fulfil the current technical, safety and environmental requirements of structural materials. The significantly enhanced mechanical properties of the recycled composites were ensured by polypropylene fabric reinforcement; meanwhile, reduced flammability was obtained by modifying the matrix layers, made of secondary raw materials, with phosphorous-containing flame retardant additive. The results of the new flame retarded composite systems allowed the discussion of a novel mechanistic observation. The mechanical and flammability properties of the prepared self-reinforced composites are compared to conventional glass fabric reinforced composites and to compounds without reinforcement.     

表面改性氢氧化镁阻燃聚丙烯的研究进展

聚丙烯是综合性能良好的五大通用塑料之一,但是其易燃的特点限制了其在很多领域的应用。氢氧化镁(MH)作为一种环境友好型的无机阻燃剂,常被用于阻燃聚丙烯,但是未经改性的MH极性强,易团聚,与基体的相容性差,难以在聚合物基体中均匀分散,在导致阻燃效率低的同时,对复合材料的力学性能也有很大的负面影响,为提高MH在聚合物基体中的界面相容性,往往需要对MH进行表面改性。本文总结了近几年来以表面化学改性、表面接枝改性、微胶囊化改性三种方法改性的MH阻燃聚丙烯的研究进展,并对其下一步的研究方向进行了展望。     

Facile fabrication of organically modified boron nitride nanosheets and its effect on the thermal stability,flame retardant,and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane

Although hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) has presented a potential prospect in polymer composite fields, undesirable interfacial interaction with polymer matrix that generates serious aggregation of nanomaterials has suppressed its enhancement effect. Moreover, the chemically inert surface of h‐BN also makes the commonly used approach that improves the interfacial interaction between nanofillers and polymeric matrix invalid. Herein, the functionalized modification of chemically inert h‐BN was successfully fabricated by the adsorption of cetyl‐trimethylammonium bromide, with electrostatic interactions. The obtained h‐BN (cetyl‐trimethylammonium bromide‐BN) was well characterized by systematic tests and then added into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix. The inclusion of functionalized h‐BN can dramatically improve thermal stability, flame retardant, and mechanical properties of TPU composites. With the incorporation of as low as 4.0 wt% nanofillers, maximal value of heat release rate and total heat release of TPU were reduced by 57.5% and 17.8%, compared with those of pure TPU, respectively. Moreover, tensile strength of TPU composite with a loading of 2.0 wt% was increased by 79.3% in comparison with that of neat TPU. The facile functionalized approach of chemically inert h‐BN paves the way for promising applications of h‐BN in the development of flame retardant polymer materials.     

The effects of cauliflower-like short carbon fibers on the mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane matrix composites

Stress concentration and weak interfacial strength affect the mechanical properties of short carbon fibers (CFs) reinforced polymer composites. In this work, the cauliflower-like short carbon fibers (CCFs) were prepared and the point was to illuminate the effects of fiber morphology on the mechanical properties of the CCFs/rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites. The results indicated that the surface structure of CCFs could increase the surface roughness of the fibers and the contact area between fibers and matrix, thereby promoting the formation of irregular interface. Compared with pure RPU and initial CFs/RPU composites, the strength and toughness of CCFs/RPU composites were simultaneously improved. The satisfactory performance was attributed to the special fibers structure, which played an anchoring role and consumed more energy during crack propagation.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Borax-Polyimide for Flame Retardant Applications

Polyamide-borax composites were prepared from solution of polyimide and the borax using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a solvent. The Polyimide-borax composites films (PI-BX) characterized by FTIR, SEM and x-ray. The borax content significantly influences thermal behavior of the polymeric films, such as glass transition and decomposition temperatures of polyimide-borax composites. The glass transition temperatures of the composites were higher than that of the original polyimide. The flammability properties of them were demonstrated by cone calorimeter and indicate that the borax composites have significantly decreased in heat release rate, and mass loss rate. The PI-BX composites appears very good the flame retardant properties.     

Reversible Amidation Chemistry Enables Closed-Loop Chemical Recycling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites to Monomers and Fibers

Highly efficient recycling of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites into monomers and fibers is a formidable challenge. Herein, we present a closed-loop recycling approach for carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites using reversible amidation chemistry, which enables the complete recovery of intact carbon fibers and pure monomers. The polymer network, synthesized by amidation between a macromonomer linear polyethyleneimine and a bifunctional maleic anhydride cross-linker, serves as a matrix for the construction of composites with exceptional mechanical properties, thermal stability and solvent resistance. The matrices can be fully depolymerized under the acidic condition at ambient temperature, allowing the effective separation and recovery of both carbon fibers and the two monomers. The reclaimed carbon fibers retain nearly identical mechanical properties to pristine ones, while pure monomers are recycled with high separation yields (>93 %). They can be reused in for multiple cycles for the manufacture of new composites, whose mechanical properties recover over 95 % of their original properties. This line of research presents a promising approach for the design of high-performance and sustainable thermoset composites, offering significant environmental and economic benefits.     

Synthesis and application of a dual functional P/N/S‐containing microsphere with enhanced flame retardancy and mechanical strength on EP resin

A phosphazene derivative flame retardant with a highly cross‐linked microsphere structure, named poly(cyclotriphosphazene‐c‐sulfonyldiphenol) (PCPS) microspheres, were synthesized by 1‐pot reaction and then applied on flame retarded epoxy (EP) resin. The microstructure and chemical composition of PCPS microspheres were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and element mapping. The thermal stability of PCPS microspheres and PCPS/EP composites was explored through thermogravimetric analysis. Thermogravimetric data showed that the PCPS microspheres have excellent thermal stability, and the char yield is about 43% at the end of 800°C. The incorporation of PCPS microspheres significantly increased the char yield of PCPS/EP composites. The flammability was investigated by limited oxygen index tests and cone calorimeter. The limited oxygen index value of PCPS/EP composite was increased to 29.8 from 26.6 when 3 wt% of PCPS microspheres was added. Compared with neat EP, the flame retardancy was greatly improved. The peak heat release rate and smoke production rate of PCPS/EP composites were reduced by 45.0% and 43.6%, respectively. The mechanical properties including tensile strength and modulus were both improved due to the enhancement of PCPS microspheres. The PCPS microspheres act as a dual function for improving both the flame resistance and mechanical strength of PCPS/EP system.     

Surface treated cellulose fibres in flame retarded PP composites

Polypropylene-based composites were prepared containing non-treated and various treated cotton fibre and wood flakes. A correlation was observed among the fibre treatment and compounding parameters, mechanical and discoloration properties. The structural changes in fibres were demonstrated by Raman spectroscopic and DSC measurements. The possibility for forming cellulose fibre containing flame retardant composites was also investigated. The efficiency of various treatments on compounding, discoloration and mechanical properties enhance in the following order: no treatment < non ionic surfactant < reactive silicone segment containing non ionic surfactant < special silylation treatment. The best results obtained with the special silylation treatment were explained with the more organophilic character and by the thermal stability of the treated fibres. Cellulose fibre as a polyol-charring component and ammonium-polyphosphate together constitute a high performance intumescent flame retardant system in the PP matrix.     

Mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane composites reinforced with surface treated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers

The mechanical properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers reinforced rigid polyurethane (PU) composites were studied, and the effects of the fiber surface treatment and the mass fraction were discussed. Chromic acid was used to treat the UHMWPE fibers, and polyurethane composites were prepared with 0.1 to 0.6 wt% as‐received and treated UHMWPE fibers. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared demonstrated that oxygen‐containing functional groups were efficiently grafted to the fiber surface. The mechanical performance tests of the UHMWPE fibers/PU composites were conducted, and the results revealed that the treated UHMWPE fibers/PU composites had better tensile, compression, and bending properties than as‐received UHMWPE fibers/PU composites. Thermal gravimetric analyzer showed that the thermal stability of the treated fiber composites were improved. The interface bonding of PU composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis, and the results indicated that the surface modification of UHMWPE fiber could improve the interaction between fiber and PU, which played a positive role in mechanical properties of composites.