TY - JOUR A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Bartholmai, Matthias A1 - Knoll, Uta T1 - Some comments on the main fire retardancy mechanisms in polymer nanocomposites N2 - Barrier formation and increasing the melt viscosity are addressed as the two main general fire retardancy mechanisms of polymer nanocomposites. They result in specific impacts on fire properties that consequentially cause varying flame retardancy efficiency in different fire tests. The barrier formation retards mainly flame spread (peak of heat release rate) in developing fires, but does not reduce fire load (total heat evolved), ignitability or flammability (limiting oxygen index, UL 94). Furthermore, this flame retardancy effect increases with increasing irradiation and vanishes with decreasing irradiation. The increased melt viscosity prevents dripping, which is beneficial or disadvantageous depending on the fire test used. In some test, it become the dominant influence, transforming self-extinguishing samples into flammable materials or causing wicking. Advantages and the limits are sketched comprehensively for exploiting the main general fire retardancy mechanisms of polymer nanocomposites. It is concluded that barrier formation and changing the melt viscosity in nanocomposites are not sufficient for most applications, but must be accompanied by additional mechanisms in special systems or in combination with other flame retardants. KW - Flame retardance KW - Nanocomposites KW - Organoclay KW - Cone calorimeter KW - Flammability PY - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pat.792 SN - 1042-7147 SN - 1099-1581 VL - 17 IS - 9-10 SP - 772 EP - 777 PB - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. CY - Chichester AN - OPUS4-13868 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bartholmai, Matthias A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Layered silicate polymer nanocomposites: new approach or illusion for fire retardancy? Investigations of the potentials and the tasks using a model system N2 - Polymeric nanocomposites are discussed as one of the most promising advanced materials whose nanoscale effects can be exploited for industry. Layered silicate polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride nanocomposites are investigated as a model to clarify the potential of such materials in terms of fire retardancy. The nanostructure is characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and shear viscosity. The fire behavior is characterized using different external heat fluxes in cone calorimeter, limiting oxygen index and UL 94 classification. A comprehensive fire behavior characterization is presented which enables an assessment of the materials’ potential with respect to different fire scenarios and fire tests. The influence of morphology and the active mechanisms are discussed, such as barrier formation and changed melt viscosity. To our knowledge, it is the first attempt to illuminate the concept’s strengths, such as the reduction of flame spread, and weaknesses, such as the lack of influence on ignitability, in a clear, comprehensive and detailed manner. KW - Fire retardancy KW - Nanocomposites KW - Cone Calorimeter KW - LOI KW - UL94 KW - Flame retardance KW - poly(propylene) (PP) KW - Organoclay PY - 2004 UR - http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jissue/109085890 SN - 1042-7147 SN - 1099-1581 VL - 15 IS - 7 SP - 355 EP - 364 PB - John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. CY - Chichester AN - OPUS4-3706 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -