Flame retardancy of carbon nanofibre/intumescent hybrid paper based fibre reinforced polymer composites

    Authors

    Y. Tang; J. F. Zhuge; J. Lawrence; J. McKee; J. H. Gou; C. Ibeh;Y. Hu

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Polym. Degrad. Stabil.

    Keywords

    Flame retardancy; Carbon nanofibre; Hybrid; Polymer; FLAMMABILITY PROPERTIES; CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES; POLYESTER; FIRE; INTUMESCENTS; POLYSTYRENE; PERFORMANCE; PYROLYSIS; Polymer Science

    Abstract

    A hybrid nanopaper consisting of carbon nanofibre (CNF) and/or clay, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), has been fabricated through the papermaking process. The as-prepared hybrid nanopaper was then incorporated onto the surface of glass fibre (GF) reinforced polymer matrix composites through injection moulding. The morphologies of hybrid nanopapers with and without the polymer resin were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The polymer resin penetrated the entire nanopaper under a high-pressure compressed air system. The thermal decomposition behaviour of hybrid nanopapers infused with resin was studied with real-time thermogravimetric analysis/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (TGA/FTIR). The test results indicate that the addition of clay in the hybrid paper increased the char residues of the nanocomposites. The fire retardant performance of composite laminates incorporating hybrid nanopaper was evaluated by cone calorimeter testing using a radiant heat flux of 50 kW/m(2). The cone test results indicated that the peak heat release rate (PHRR) decreased dramatically in the case of laminate composites incorporating CNF/clay/APP hybrid paper. However, the extent of reduction of PHRR of the composite laminates incorporated with CNF/POSS/APP hybrid paper was lower. The formation of compact char materials was observed on the surface of the residues and analyzed by SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The flame retardant mechanisms of hybrid nanopapers in composite laminates are discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Polymer Degradation and Stability

    Volume

    96

    Issue/Number

    5

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    760

    Last Page

    770

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000290078200005

    ISSN

    0141-3910

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