Synergistic flame retardancy and electrical conductivity in di-glycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy composites with polyaniline and aluminum Tri-hydroxide

Abstract

This study focuses on developing and characterizing multifunctional composites based on the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy matrix. The aim is to enhance fire resistance and electrical conductivity properties for applications in various fields. To achieve this, aluminum tri-hydroxide (ATH) was incorporated as a flame retardant (FR) agent, while polyaniline (PANI) was added to impart electrical conductivity. The composites were categorized into three groups: the first containing flame retardant (FR), the second containing PANI for conductivity, and the third containing both PANI and FR for combined effects. E 60-FP emerged as the optimal multifunctional composite, exhibiting superior mechanical properties among the tested formulations. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results provided valuable insights into the thermal stability of E 60-FP, revealing that it retained 42% of its initial mass at a temperature of 600 °C. Additionally, the composite achieved a V-0 rating in the UL 94 test, confirming its excellent fire resistance. Notably, E 60-FP displayed impressive mechanical strength, with a tensile strength of 7.2 MPa and a tensile modulus of 1117.6 MPa. Its flexural strength and modulus were measured at 31.2 MPa and 2800.2 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, the composite E 60-FP exhibited remarkable electrical conductivity, measuring 6.1 × 10–6 S cm−1. These findings highlight the potential of DGEBA epoxy composites containing PANI and ATH as promising materials for applications requiring fire resistance and electrical conductivity properties.