Combustion behaviour and thermal properties of UV cured methacrylated phosphate/epoxy acrylate blends

Abstract

Methacrylated phosphates (MAPs) were blended in certain ratios with a commercial epoxy acrylate to obtain UV curable flame retardant resins. The flame retardancy and thermal properties of their UV cured films were investigated by the combustion behaviour, limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermal degradation and glass transition temperature ( T g). The results showed that the peak and average heat release rates decreased to the approximate levels of pure MAPs when 17 wt.% of MAPs was added, and no obvious effects were observed from the films with higher loading levels. The LOI increased along with the content of MAPs, and the total heat release, contrarily, decreased. The total smoke production was suppressed by MAPs addition as it leads to an effective decrease of mass loss, although MAPs have no effect on the specific extinction area. The T g decreased with increasing content of MAPs due to the reduction in rigidity of the polymer chains, and the lower cross-link density of the cured film.