Koo, J. H., H. A. Stretz, R. Rushing, W. Wootan, N. Burns, S. Maraqa. SYNERGISM IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN FIRE RETARDANT SYSTEM FOR POLYPROPYLENE CABLES
Institute for Environmental and Industrial Science, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666 (jk20@swt.edu)
Non-halogenated fire retardant cables were investigated. We studied the addition of montmorillonite nanoclays and phosphorus-containing FR additives to a polypropylene copolymer with inorganic hydrates via twin-screw extrusion. The effects of mass loadings of MMT and phosphorus-containing FR additives were examined. A reduction of 59% in peak heat release rate from 211 to 86 kW/m2 at 35 kW/m2 heat flux was observed under the Cone Calorimeter for PP/MMT blends with 8% MMT with no change in time to ignition. An inorganic phosphate was then introduced. The PHRR went up, but TTI was increased by twofold on addition of 35% phosphate. Thus by controlling the composition of phosphate and MMT in the blend allows one to tailor the flammability properties.