Polyamide (nylon) 11 (PA11) were melt-blended by dispersing low concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs), namely nanoclays (NCs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via twin-screw extrusion. To enhance their thermal and flame retardant (FR) properties, an intumescent FR additive was added to the mechanically superior NC and CNF PA11 formulations. For neat and NP-reinforced PA11 as well as for PA11 reinforced by both intumescent FR and select NPs (NC or CNF), decomposition temperatures by TGA, flammability properties by UL 94, and cone calorimetry values were measured. All PA11 polymer systems infused with both NPs and FR additive had higher decomposition temperatures than those infused with solely FR additive. For the PA11/FR/NC polymer blends, Exolit® OP 1312 (FR2) is the preferred FR additive to pass the UL 94 V-0 requirement with 20 wt%. For the PA11/FR/CNF formulations, all Exolit® OP 1311 (FR1), OP 1312 (FR2), and OP 1230 (FR3) FR additives passed the UL 94 V-0 requirement with 20 wt%.
WohlersT. Wohlers Report 2010 on rapid prototyping and manufacturing state of the industry, Fort Collins, CO: Wohlers Associates, Inc, 2010.
2.
HornsbyPRRothonRN. Fire retardant fillers for polymers. In: Le BrasMWilkieCABourbigotS (eds) Fire retardancy of polymers – new applications of mineral fillers, Cambridge, England: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2005; 19–41.
3.
HornsbyP. Fire-retardant fillers. In: WilkieCAMorganAB (eds) Fire retardancy of polymeric materials, 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2010, 163–185.
4.
WilkieCAMorganAB. Fire retardancy of polymeric materials, 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2010.
GilmanJWJacksonCLMorganAB. Flammability properties of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: polypropylene and polystyrene nanocomposites. Chem Mater2000; 12(7): 1866–1873.
11.
KashiwagiTGrulkeEHildingJ. Thermal degradation and flammability properties of polypropylene/carbon nanotube composites. Macromol Rapid Commun2002; 23(13): 761–765.
12.
KashiwagiTDuFWineyKI. Flammability properties of polymer nanocomposites with single-walled carbon nanotubes: effects of nanotube dispersion and concentration. Polymer2005; 46(2): 471–481.
13.
Le BrasMWilkieCABourbigotS. Fire retardancy of polymers – new applications of mineral fillers, Cambridge, England: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2005.
14.
KooJH. Polymer nanocomposites: processing, characterization, and applications, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
15.
MorganABWilkieCA. Flame retardant polymer nanocomposites, New York: Wiley, 2007.
16.
HullTRKandolaBK. Fire retardancy of polymers – new strategies and mechanisms, Cambridge, England: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2009.
17.
LaoSCWuWMoonTJ. Flame-retardant polyamide 11 and 12 nanocomposites: thermal and flammability properties. J Compos Mater2009; 43(17): 1803–1818.
18.
LaoSCYongWNguyenK. Flame-retardant polyamide 11 and 12 nanocomposites: processing, morphology, and mechanical properties. J Compos Mater2010; 44(25): 2933–2951.
19.
Cheng J, Lao S, Nguyen K, Ho W, Cummings A and Koo JH. In: Proceedings 2005 SFF Symposium, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1–3 August, 2005.
20.
MorganABWilkieCA. Flame retardant polymer nanocomposites, New York: Wiley, 2007; 131–162.
21.
DuquesneSLefebvreJBourbigotS. Nanoparticles as potential synergists in intumescent systems. PMSE Preprints2004; 91: 84–85.
22.
SongLHuYLinZ. Preparation and properties of halogen-free flame-retarded polyamide 6/organoclay nanocomposite. Polym Degrad Stab2004; 86(3): 535–540.
23.
IsaIAAJodehSW. Thermal properties of automotive polymers. III – Thermal characteristics and flammability of fire retardant polymers. Mat Res Innovat2001; 4(2-3): 135–143.
ChenYWangQYanW. Preparation of flame retardant polyamide 6 composite with melamine cyanurate nanoparticles in situ formed in extrusion process. Polym Degrad Stab2006; 91(11): 2632–2643.
26.
JoseMSteinertBWThomasV. Morphology and mechanical properties of nylon 6/MWNT nanofibers. Polymer 200748(4): 1096–1104.
27.
FornesTDPaulDR. Structure and properties of nanocomposites based on nylon-11 and -12 compared with those based on nylon-6. Macromolecules2004; 37(20): 7698–7709.
28.
ZhangXYangGLinJ. Synthesis, rheology, and morphology of nylon-11/layered silicate nanocomposite. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys2006; 44(15): 2161–2172.
29.
LiuTLimKPTjiuWC. Preparation and characterization of nylon 11/organoclay nanocomposites. Polymer2003; 44(12): 3529–3535.
30.
HeXYangJZhuL. Morphology and melt rheology of nylon 11/clay nanocomposites. J Appl Polym Sci2006; 102(1): 542–549.
31.
WangZDuXSongR. Chemical effects of cationic surfactant and anionic surfactant used in organically modified montmorillonites on degradation and fire retardancy of polyamide 12 nanocomposites. Polymer2007; 48(25): 7301–7308.
32.
LevchikSVCostaLCaminoG. Effect of the fire-retardant, ammonium polyphosphate, on the thermal decomposition of aliphatic polyamides. I. Polyamides 11 and 12. Polym Degrad Stab1992; 36(1): 31–41.
33.
Rilsan® polyamide 11 technical data sheet, Arkema Inc., France.
34.
KooJH. Polymer nanocomposites: processing, characterization, and applications, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006; 9–49.
35.
Cloisite® 30B technical data sheet, Southern Clay Products, Gonzales, TX.
36.
TibbettsGG. Why are carbon filaments tubular?J Crystal Growth1984; 66(3): 632–638.
37.
LakeMLTingJ-M. Carbon materials for advanced technologies, England: Pergamon, Oxford, 1999.
38.
MaruyamaBAlamK. Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers in composite materials. SAMPE J2002; 38(3): 59–70.
39.
TibbettsGGLakeMLStrongKL. A review of the fabrication and properties of vapor-grown carbon nanofiber/polymer composites. Compos Sci Technol2007; 67(7–8): 1709–1718.
40.
Exolit® OP 1311 technical data sheet, Clariant, Germany.
41.
Exolit® OP 1312 technical data sheet, Clariant, Germany.
42.
Exolit® OP 1230 technical data sheet, Clariant, Germany.
43.
Dietz M and Wanzke W. Flame retarded thermoplastic and thermoset materials based on phosphorus chemistry. In: SAMPE 2006 ISTC Proceedings, Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering, Covina, CA, USA, 2006.
44.
KrauseBBoldtRPotschkeP. A method for determination of length distributions of multiwalled carbon nanotubes before and after melt processing. Carbon2011; 49: 1243–1247.
45.
UL94. “Tests for flammability of plastic materials for parts in devices and appliances”, Northbrook, IL: Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL).
46.
ZhangXYangGLinJ. Synthesis, rheology, and morphology of nylon-11/layered silicate nanocomposite. J Polym Sci: Part B: Polym Phys2006; 44: 2161–2161.
47.
LiuTLimKPTjiuWC. Preparation and characterization of nylon 11/organoclay nanocomposites. Polymer2003; 44: 3529–3529.
48.
Lao SC., Koo JH., Kan MF, et al. Multifunctional polyamide 11-carbon nanotube nanocomposites: processing, morphology, and properties. In preparation.
49.
Chen DZ, Lao SC, Koo JH and Londa M. Selective laser sintering of conductive polyamide 11-MWNT nanocomposites for lower percolation threshold. In: The International SAMPE 2011 ISSE, Long Beach, CA, 23–26 May, 2011.
