Flame retardant polyoxymethylene with aluminium hydroxide/melamine/novolac resin synergistic system

Polyoxymethylene (POM), having the lowest limiting oxygen index (LOI) (only similar to 15%), is well known as the most difficult to be flame retarded plastic among all the polymers. In this paper, a novel synergistic flame retardant system composed of aluminium hydroxide (ATH), melamine (ME) and novolac resin was designed and successfully applied to flame retard POM. ATH took effects through heat absorption and water release. Both ME and novolac could react with the decomposition product of POM, formaldehyde, thus improving the flame retardancy. Particularly, novolac resin and ME played the roles of macromolecular charring agent and gas source, enhancing the flame retarding actions in the condensed and gaseous phases, respectively. This ternary synergistic system exhibited fine flame retardancy for POM (UL94 V-1 rating for 1.6 mm bar), and the obtained flame retardant POM also showed good processability and mechanical properties due to the lubrication, compatibilization and aid-dispersion effects of novolac resin. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.