Abstract
The effect of two flame retardants [ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and montmorillonite (MMT)] was studied in relation to flame retardancy, mechanical properties and physical characteristics of polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. Moreover, the possible synergistic effect of these two flame retardant additives on the macromolecular blends was studied as well. Based on this research, it was revealed that APP- and MMT-raised loading has significantly increased the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the resulting PC/ABS blends, which is due to the intumescence effect provoked by the incorporation of these flame retardant fillers. Incorporation of APP improved the LOI through intumescence effect while the addition of MMT led to intercalation of PC/ABS polymer matrix into the interlayer galleries of MMT particles. Besides, higher APP loading in PC/ABS blends has significantly promoted the formation of carbonaceous char residues as evidenced in TGA analysis, which indicates that addition of higher APP could improve thermal stability of PC/ABS blends. To improve the tensile strength and elongation-at-break, APP loading of 25 phr in PC/ABS blends together with various MMT loading would be suitable to ensure good dispersion and interfacial adhesion between the polymer chains and the additives. However, it is important to control the loading level of MMT as its excessive incorporation could result in flame-retarded PC/ABS blends with brittle behavior, showing weaker mechanical properties.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wang H, Zhou H, Huang Z, Zhang Y, Qiao H, Yu Z (2016) Experimental investigation and modeling of the mechanical behavior of PC/ABS during monotonic and cyclic loading. Polym Test 50:216–223
Suarez H, Barlow JW, Paul DR (1984) Mechanical properties of ABS/polycarbonate blends. J Appl Polym Sci 29:3253–3259
Bee ST, Sin LT, Ch’ng BS, Ratnam CT, Rahmat AR (2018) Electron beam irradiation of zinc borate flame retardant containing acrylonite-butadiene-styrene (ABS) composites. J Polym Res 25:89
Yuan B, Fan A, Yang M, Cjen X, Hu Y, Bao C, Jiang S, Niu Y, Zhang Y, Dai H (2017) The effects of graphene on the flammability and fire behaviour of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene composites at different flame scenarios. Polym Degrad Stab 143:42–56
Lu H, Song L, Hu Y (2011) A review on flame retardant technology in China. Part II: flame retardant polymeric nanocomposites and coatings. Polym Adv Technol 22:379–394
Zhang Y, Li X, Fang Z, Hull TR, Kelarakis A, Stec AA (2017) Mechanism of enhancement of intumescent fire retardancy by metal acetates in polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab 136:139–145
Cullis CF, Hirschler MM, Tao QM (1991) Studies of the effects of phosphorus-nitrogen-bromine systems on the combustion of some thermoplastic polymers. Eur Polym J 27:281–289
Lin Y, Jiang S, Hu Y, Chen G, Shi X, Peng X (2018) Hybrids of aluminum hypophosphite and ammonium polyphosphate: highly effective flame retardant system for unsaturated polyester resin. Polym Compos 39:1763–1770
Laoutid F, Bonnaud L, Alexandre M, Lopez-Cuesta JM, Dubois P (2009) New prospects in flame retardant polymer materials: from fundamentals to nanocomposites. Mater Sci Eng R Rep 63:100–125
Liu W, Wang D, Zhang Y, Bai T, Li J (2018) Flammability and flame-retardant mechanism of high density polyethylene/wood fiber/modified ammonium polyphosphate composite. Polym Compos 39:1192–1199
Meri RM, Zicans J, Ivanova T, Berzina R, Saldabola R, Maksimovs R (2015) The effect of introduction of montmorillonite clay (MMT) on the elastic properties of polycarbonate (PC) composition with acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS). Compos Struct 134:950–956
Arostegui A, Sarrionandia M, Aurrekoetxea J, Urrutibeascoa I (2006) Effect of dissolution-based recycling on the degradation and the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. Polym Degrad Stab 91:2768–2774
Zhang Y, Chen X, Fang Z (2013) Synergistic effects of expandable graphite and ammonium polyphosphate with a new carbon source derived from biomass in flame retardant ABS. J Appl Polym Sci 128:2424–2432
Ge LL, Duan HJ, Zhang XG, Chen C, Tang JH, Li ZM (2012) Synergistic effect of ammonium polyphosphate and expandable graphite on flame-retardant properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. J Appl Polym Sci 126:1337–1343
Xia Y, Jian XG, Li JF, Wang XH, Xu YY (2007) Synergistic effect of montmorillonite and intumescent flame retardant on flame retardance enhancement of ABS. Polym-Plast Technol Eng 46:227–232
Wang S, Hu Y, Song L, Wang Z, Chen Z, Fan W (2002) Preparation and thermal properties of ABS/montmorillonite nanocomposite. Polym Degrad Stab 77:423–426
Suzuki M, Wilkie CA (1995) The thermal degradation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer as studied by TGA/FTIR. Polym Degrad Stab 47:217–221
Bourbigot S, Bras MJ, Dabrowski F, Gilman JW, Kashiwagi T (2000) PA-6 clay nanocomposite hybrid as char forming agent in intumescent formulations. Fire Mater 24:201–208
Wang S, Hu Y, Wang Z, Yong T, Chen Z, Fan W (2003) Synthesis and characterization of polycarbonate/ABS/montmorillonite nanocomposites. Polym Degrad Stab 80:157–161
Bee ST, Hassan A, Ratnam CT, Tee TT, Sin LT, Hui D (2014) Dispersion and roles of montmorillonite on structural, flammability, thermal and mechanical behaviours of electron beam irradiated flame retarded nanocomposite. Compos Part B: Eng 61:41–48
He X, Zhang W, Yi D, Yang R (2016) Flame retardancy of ammonium polyphosphate-montmorillonite nanocompounds on epoxy resin. J Fire Sci 34:212–225
Castrovinci A, Camino G, Drevelle C, Duquesne S, Magniez C, Vouters M (2005) Ammonium polyphosphate-aluminum trihydroxide antagonism in fire retarded butadiene-styrene block copolymer. Eur Polym J 41:2023–2033
Bee ST, Hassan A, Ratnam CT, Tee TT, Lee TS (2014) Interactions of montmorillonite and electron beam irradiation in enhancing the properties of alumina trihydrate-added polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate blends. J Compos Mater 48:1155–1171
Bee ST, Hassan A, Ratnam CT, Tee TT, Sin LT (2013) Investigation of nano-size montmorillonite on electron beam irradiated flame retardant polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate blends. Nucl Inst Meth Phys Res B 299:42–50
Ferfera-Harrar H, Dairi N (2014) Green nanocomposite films based on cellulose acetate and biopolymer-modified nanoclays: studies on morphology and properties. Iran Polym J 23:917–931
Jiang W, Hao J, Han Z (2012) Study on the thermal degradation of mixtures of ammonium polyphosphate and a novel caged bicyclic phosphate and their flame retardant effect in polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stab 97:632–637
Li J, Ke C, Xu L, Wang Y (2012) Synergistic effect between a hyperbranched charring agent and ammonium polyphosphate on the intumescent flame retardance of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer. Polym Degrad Stab 97:1107–1113
Lim KS, Bee ST, Sin LT, Tee TT, Ratnam CT, Hui D, Rahmat AR (2016) A review of application of ammonium polyphosphate as intumescent flame retardant in thermoplastic composites. Compos Part B: Eng 84:155–174
Bee ST, Hassan A, Ratnam CT, Tee TT, Sin LT (2012) Effects of montmorillonite on the electron beam irradiated alumina trihydrate added polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate nanocomposite. Polym Compos 33:1883–1892
Heidar Pour R, Soheilmoghaddam M, Hassan A, Bourbigot S (2015) Flammability and thermal properties of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene nanocomposites reinforced with multilayer graphene. Polym Degrad Stab 120:88–97
Lu C, Liu L, Chen N, Wang X, Yang D, Huang XH, Yao DH (2015) Influence of clay dispersion on flame retardancy of ABS/PA6/APP blends. Polym Degrad Stab 114:16–29
Wang Z, Jiang S, Sun H (2017) Expanded polystyrene foams containing ammonium polyphosphate and non-zirconia with improved flame retardancy and mechanical properties. Iran Polym J 26:71–79
Wang W, Chen X, Gu Y, Jiao C (2018) Synergistic fire safety effect between nano-CuO and ammonium polyphosphate in thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. J Therm Anal Calorim 131:3175–3183
Acknowledgements
The authors are very grateful to Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, Selangor for allowing usage their equipments on performing this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bee, ST., Lim, KS., Sin, L.T. et al. Interactive effect of ammonium polyphosphate and montmorillonite on enhancing flame retardancy of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites. Iran Polym J 27, 899–911 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-018-0664-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-018-0664-z