Thermal decomposition of fire-retarded high-impact polystyrene and high-impact polystyrene/ethylene–vinyl acetate blend nanocomposites followed by thermal analysis
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online April, 2014
Thermal decomposition of fire-retarded high-impact polystyrene and high-impact polystyrene/ethylene–vinyl acetate blend nanocomposites followed by thermal analysis
Blend nanocomposites of high-impact polystyrene and ethylene–vinyl acetate at a ratio of 3:1, with the addition of aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3 and diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate (DPO) as fire retardants (FRs) and silica (SiO2) nanofiller were prepared by extrusion. Thermal decomposition, mechanism and kinetics of degradation of the studied samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The fire-retarded samples were characterized by following the degradation kinetics obtained from TGA data by recording the samples at four different heating rates. That enables us to determine one of the kinetic parameters, activation energy (Ea) of thermal decomposition. The effect of high concentration of FRs on morphology and properties of the studied samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and mechanical properties. The obtained results show that the FRs delay thermal decomposition, particularly in combination with SiO2 nanofiller, which significantly contributes to slowing down the degradation process.
BuserHR. Polybrominated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins: thermal reaction products of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants. Environ Sci Technol1986; 20: 404–408.
2.
ThomaHHauschultzGKnorrEHutzingerO. Polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDF) and dibenzodioxins (PBDD) from the pyrolysis of neat brominated diphenylethers, biphenyl and plastic mixtures of these compounds. Chemosphere1987; 16: 277–285.
3.
BhaskarTHallWJMitanNMMMutoAWilliamsPTSakataY.Controlled pyrolysis of polyethylene/polypropylene/polystyrene mixed plastics with high impact polystyrene containing flame retardant: Effect of decabromo diphenylethane. Polym Degrad Stab2007; 92: 211–221.
4.
DuboisAM. Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites preparation, properties and uses of a new class of materials. Mater Sci Eng2000; 28: 1–63.
5.
MohantyAKMisraMDrzalLT. Surface modifications of natural fibers and performance of the resulting biocomposites: an overview. Compos Interfac2001; 8: 313–343.
6.
AnnakuttyKSKishoreK. Pyrolysis gas chromatographic studies on polyphosphate esters of bisphenol A. Makromol Chem1991; 192: 11–20.
7.
OyaA. Polymer clay nanocomposites. London, UK: Wiley, 2000, p. 151.
8.
KojimaYUsukiAKawasumiMOkadaAFukushimaYKarauchiTMechanical properties of nylon-6 ± clay hybrid. J Mater Res1993; 6: 1185–1189.
9.
ChigwadaGJashPJiangDDWilkieCA. Synergy between nanocomposite formation and low levels of bromine on fire retardancy in polystyrenes. Polym Degrad Stab2005; 88: 382–393.
10.
CzégényZBlazsoM. Effect of phosphorous flame retardants on the thermal decomposition of vinyl polymers and copolymers. J Anal Appl Pyrol2008; 81: 218–224.
11.
KambourRPLigonWVRussellRR. Enhancement of the limiting oxygen index of an aromatic polycarbonate by the incorporation of silicone blocks. J Polym Sci Polym Lett1978; 16: 327–333.
12.
FlynnJHWallLA. The isoconversional method for determination of energy of activation at constant heating rates corrections for the Doyle approximation. J Therm Anal1983; 27: 95–102.
13.
VyazovkinS.Handbook of thermal analysis and calorimetry, recent advances, techniques and applications. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier, Vol 5, 2008, p. 522.
14.
SbirazzuoliNGiraultYElégantL.Simulations for evaluation of kinetic methods in differential scanning calorimetry. Part 3. Peak maximum evolution methods and isoconversional methods. Thermochim Acta1997; 293: 25–37.
15.
CzégényZBlazsoM. Effect of phosphorous flame retardants on the thermal decomposition of vinyl polymers and copolymers. J Anal Appl Pyrol2008; 81: 218–224.
16.
BabushokVTsangW. Inhibitor rankings for alkane combustion. Combust Flame2000; 124: 488–506.
17.
RimezBRahierHVan AsscheGArtoosTBiesemansMVan MeleB.The thermal degradation of poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate). Part I: experimental study of the degradation mechanism. Polym Degrad Stab2008; 93: 800–810.
18.
LewimMWeilDW. Fire retardant materials. Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2001, p. 31.
19.
KaradumanASimsekEHCicekBBilgesuAY. Flash pyrolysis of polystyrene wastes in a free-fall reactor under vacuum. J Anal Appl Pyrol2001; 60: 179–186.
20.
PetersonJDVyazovkinSWightCA. Kinetics of the thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene. Macromol Chem Phys2001; 202: 775–784.
21.
GrassieNScottG. Polymer degradation and stability. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1985, p.86.
22.
CoelhoACostaLDas Merce^s MarquesMFonsecaILemosMALemosF. Using simultaneous DSC/TG to analyze the kinetics of polyethylene degradation-catalytic cracking using HY and HZSM-5 zeolites. React Kinet Mech Cat2010; 99: 5–15.
23.
KsiążczakABoniukHCudziłoS. Thermal decomposition of PTFE in the presence of silicon, calcium silicide, ferrosilicon and iron. J Therm Anal Calorim2003; 74: 569–574.
24.
PolliHPontesLAMAraujoAS. Application of model-free kinetics to the study of thermal degradation of polycarbonate. J Therm Anal Calorim2005; 79: 383–387.
VyazovkinSWightCA. Model-free and model-fitting approaches to kinetic analysis of isothermal and nonisothermal data. Thermochim Acta1999; 340–341: 53–68.
ZhengHZhangJLuSWangSXuZ. Effect of core–shell composite particles on the sintering behavior and properties of nano-Al2O3/polystyrene composite prepared by SLS. Mater Lett2006; 60: 1219–1223.
