Flammability properties of polymer - Layered-silicate nanocomposites. Polypropylene and polystyrene nanocomposites

Our continuing study of the mechanism of flammability reduction of polymer-layered-silicate nanocomposites has yielded results for polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride and polystyrene-layered-silicate nanocomposites using montmorillonite and fluorohectorite. Cone calorimetry was used to measure the heat release rate and other flammability properties of the nanocomposites, under well-controlled combustion conditions. Both the polymer-layered-silicate nanocomposites and the combustion residues were studied by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. We have found evidence for a common mechanism of flammability reduction. We also found that the type of layered silicate, nanodispersion, and processing degradation have an influence on the flammability reduction.