Preparation of urea formaldehyde microsphere and its effect on flame retardant ethylene vinyl acetate composites

Abstract

Urea formaldehyde microsphere (UFM) was prepared and used with organic montmorillonite (OMMT) to modify the flame retardant efficiency of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/intumescent flame retardant (IFR) composites. The results show that single IFR may modify the flame retardancy of EVA, but its efficiency is not good enough. The EVA composite containing 21 wt% IFR is just classified the UL_94 V2 and has a limiting oxygen index (LOI) 24.7 vol%. Combining UFM with IFR does not improve the flame retardancy of EVA/IFR composites, and blending OMMT with IFR only improves its LOI. Adding 2 wt% UFM, 2 wt% OMMT, and 17 wt% IFR into EVA, it obtains the UL_94 V0 without melt dripping and a LOI 29.0 vol%. Also, the peak heat release rate and total heat release decrease a lot. Good synergistic effects among IFR, UFM, and OMMT improve the char residues and modify the char micromorphology of EVA composites, which provide better protect for the underlying resin.