Preparation and Flammability Properties of Polyethylene/Organoclay Nanocomposites

Abstract

Polyethylene (PE) nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalation, in order to evaluate the flame retardant effect of this material. For the development of nanocomposites were used the montmorillonite clay (MMT), organoclay (OMMT) and flame retardant product (FRP) with the percentage of 1, 3, 6 and 9 wt%. Grafted polyethylene with maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer of the systems. PE and its systems were evaluated: XRD, TEM, TG and flammability (UL94HB, oxygen index (LOI) and cone calorimetry). The X-ray diffraction showed a partial intercalation and exfoliation as well as formation of microcomposite. The phase morphology of the systems was observed by TEM that it showed that the system with 1% OMMT clay presented a predominance of exfoliation. Already the system with 3% OMMT showed partial exfoliation and this exfoliation reduced as the clay content increased. By TG it was seen that MMT, OMMT and FRP acted improving the thermal behavior of the nanocomposites compared to PE matrix. The results obtained for the oxygen index showed that both PE and its systems presented flame retardancy behavior. By means of the horizontal flammability tests, it was found that the presence of 1% MMT clay reduced 25% the flammability of PE. By cone calorimetry it was found that the system that contains 9% of OMMT clay decreased by about 33% the flammability of PE.