Use of Turkish huntite/hydromagnesite mineral in plastic materials as a flame retardant

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, the flame retardancy properties of huntite/hydromagnesite mineral in plastic compounds were investigated for potential electrical applications. Before the production of composite materials, huntite/hydromagnesite minerals were ground to particle sizes of 10, 1, and 0.1 μm. Phase and microstructural analysis of huntite/hydromagnesite mineral powders were undertaken using XRD and SEM‐EDS preceding the fabrication of the composite materials. The ground minerals with different particle size and content levels were subsequently added to ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer to produce composite materials. After fabrication of huntite/hydromagnesite reinforced plastic composite samples, they were characterized using DTA‐TG, FTIR, and SEM‐EDS. Flame retardancy tests were undertaken as a main objective of this research. The size distribution and the mineral content effects are measured regarding the flame retardancy of the polymer composites It was concluded that the flame retardant properties of plastic composites were improved as the mineral content increased and the size was reduced. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1692–1700, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.