Synergistic effect of carbon nanotubes in combination with magnesium hydroxide on the flame retardant poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)

Abstract

To investigate the synergistic effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in combination with magnesium hydroxide (MH) on the flame retardant poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA), a series of EVA-based composites filled with CNTs, MH, a mixture of MH and CNTs, and MH-modified CNTs (MH-CNTs) were prepared. Characterizations of the fillers and the composites were performed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and cone calorimetry. The results indicated that the presence of CNTs affected the size of the attaching MH, which was decreased to around 20 nm. MH also had an enlarged special surface area in the MH-CNTs. A synergism was found in the MH-CNTs on the thermal retardant EVA composites due to the interaction between MH and CNTs.

Keywords

• carbon nanotubes
• flame retardancy
• magnesium hydroxide
• poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)
• synergistic effect