Flame-retarded mechanism of SEBS/PPO composites modified with mica and resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate)

Abstract

Abstract The flame retardancy of styrene- b -ethylene/butylene- b -styrene triblock polymer (SEBS)/poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) blends was greatly improved by the combined use of mica and resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP). The limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning and cone calorimeter test were performed to evaluate the flame-retarded effect. The composite of SEBS/PPO/maleic anhydride grafted SEBS (SEBS- g -MAH) with a mass ratio of 11/11/3 passed a V-0 rating in the UL94 test by the addition of 10–15 wt% mica and 15–10 wt% RDP with total amount of 25 wt%. The synergism was confirmed by the mathematical evaluation of the synergistic effect index (SE) in LOI, the residue, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and the total heat evolved (THE) per mass loss (THE/ML). The flame-retarded mechanism of the composite was also proposed on the results of cone calorimeter test, TGA-FTIR, SEM micrographs and SEM/EDS analysis of the residues. It was found that the degradation rate of SEBS/PPO/SEBS- g -MAH matrix was slowed down, a more consolidated char layer with higher residue was promoted by the combination of RDP and mica. The flame-retardancy of RDP with mica in SEBS/PPO/SEBS- g -MAH matrix was synergistic through gas and condensed phase action.