TY - JOUR A1 - Wilke, Antje A1 - Langfeld, Kirsten A1 - Ulmer, B. A1 - Andrievici, V. A1 - Hörold, Andreas A1 - Limbach, P. A1 - Bastian, Martin A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Halogen-free Multicomponent Flame Retardant Thermoplastic Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene Elastomers Based on Ammonium Polyphosphate – Expandable Graphite Synergy JF - Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research N2 - Developing flame retarded thermoplastic elastomers (TPES) based on styrene−ethylene−butylene−styrene, polypropylene, and mineral oil is a challenging task because of their very high fire loads and flammability. A promising approach is the synergistic combination of expandable graphite (EG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). Cone calorimetry, oxygen index, and UL 94 classification were applied. The optimal EG:APP ratio is 3:1, due to the most effective fire residue morphology. Exchanging APP with melamine-coated APPm yielded crucial improvement in fire properties, whereas replacing EG/APP with melamine polyphosphate did not. Adjuvants, such as aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi), zinc borate, melamine cyanurate, titanium dioxide, dipentaerylthritol, diphenyl-2-ethyl phosphate, boehmite, SiO2, chalk, and talcum, were tested. All flame retardants reinforced the TPE-S. The combination with AlPi is proposed, because with 30 wt % flame retardants a maximum averaged rate of heat emission below 200 kW m−2 and a V-0 rating was achieved. Multicomponent EG/APP/adjuvants systems are proposed as a suitable route to achieve efficient halogen-free flame retarded TPE-S. KW - Thermoplastic elastomers KW - Amonium polyphosphate KW - Expandable graphite KW - Synergy PY - 2017 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.7b01177 SN - 0888-5885 VL - 56 IS - 29 SP - 8251 EP - 8263 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-41509 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wu, Guang Mei A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Bahr, Horst A1 - Kleemeier, M. A1 - Yu, D. A1 - Hartwig, A. T1 - Experimental and quantitative assessment of flame retardancy by the shielding effect in layered silicate epoxy nanocomposites JF - Combustion and flame N2 - A quantitative experimental assessment of flame retardancy by the heat shielding in epoxy layered silicate nanocomposite (EP/TPPMMT) is presented. Online heat flux measurements and temperature monitoring within the specimen are performed during the burning in the cone calorimeter. For EP the surface layer equals a pyrolysis front. The reradiation by the hot surface corresponds to the fourth power of the pyrolysis temperature. The surface reradiation (around 10 kW m-2) is thus fairly invariable over burning time and different external heat fluxes. Further, the thermal feedback of the flame is approximated to 20 kW m-2 for both EP and EP/TPPMMT and invariable over different irradiations. Thus the net heat fluxes transformed to the fuel release rate within the pyrolysis front of EP are increased to 45–80 kW m-2 when irradiations of 35–70 kW m-2 are applied. For a residue-forming EP/TPPMMT the surface temperature and thus the reradiation (42–68 kW m-2) crucially increases compared to EP and with increasing irradiation. The net heat fluxes are reduced to 13–22 kW m-2 accordingly. This quantitative assessment of the heat shielding in EP/TPPMMT goes along with proportional and consistent improvement in the fire performance, such as the pyrolysis front velocity, the heat release rate (HRR) characteristics such as averaged and quasi-steady-state HRR and the peak HRR (PHRR). The heat shielding is proven to be the only major flame retardancy effect occurring in nanocomposites based on non-charring polymers. KW - Nanocomposites KW - Heat shielding KW - Flame retardancy KW - Shielding effect PY - 2012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.combustflame.2012.07.003 SN - 0010-2180 SN - 1556-2921 VL - 159 IS - 12 SP - 3616 EP - 3623 PB - Elsevier CY - New York, NY AN - OPUS4-26841 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wu, Guang Mei A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Kleemeier, M. A1 - Hartwig, A. T1 - Flammability of layered silicate epoxy nanocomposites combined with low-melting inorganic ceepree glass JF - Polymer engineering & science N2 - Tetraphenylphosphonium modified layered silicate epoxy nanocomposite (EP/TPPMMT) combined with low-melting silicate glass, Ceepree (CP) is investigated by thermal analysis, flammability tests and cone calorimeter at different heat fluxes. Adding CP and TPPMMT does not change the pyrolysis apart from increasing inorganic residue. The total heat evolved (THE) is changed insignificantly, as neither relevant additional carbonaceous charring nor flame inhibition occurs. However, flame retardancy is clearly observed due to an inorganic-carbonaceous surface protection layer. The peak heat released rate (PHRR) is reduced by around 32–42% when 5 wt% TPPMMT is added, and 51–63% when 10 wt% CP is added. PHRR reduction less than expected is observed when both additives are combined. The reduction is greater than that achieved by using TPPMMT but less than when only CP is used. The morphology of fire residue is investigated by scanning electron microscope on different length scales and turns out to be the key to understanding the efficiency of flame retardancy. The fire residue of EP/CP shows a layered structure, whereas separated columns limit the barrier properties for EP/5%TPPMMT on the micrometer scale. Columns dominating the fire residue structure of EP/5%TPPMMT/10%CP deteriorate the fire retardancy, whereas a more integral structure at the top of the residue causes the improvement over EP/5%TPPMMT. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers KW - Flame retardancy KW - Nanocomposites KW - Low melting glasses KW - Epoxy resin KW - Ceepree PY - 2012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.22111 SN - 0032-3888 SN - 1548-2634 VL - 52 IS - 3 SP - 507 EP - 517 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NY AN - OPUS4-25590 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wu, Guang Mei A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Yu, D. A1 - Kleemeier, M. A1 - Hartwig, A. T1 - Synergistic fire retardancy in layered-silicate nanocomposite combined with low-melting phenysiloxane glass JF - Journal of fire sciences N2 - Tetraphenyl phosphonium-modified layered silicate (LS) and low-melting phenylsiloxane glass (G) are combined for more efficient halogen-free flame retardancy in epoxy resin (EP_LSG). Particularly, the peak heat release rate (PHRR) is decreased (by up to 60%), but levels off at additive concentrations ≥10 wt%. The performance of EP_LSG is compared to EP_LS and EP_G assuming an absolute and a relative flame retardancy effect, respectively, and based on the same amount of each filler and, alternatively, with EP_G containing the same overall amount of filler. EP_LSG behaves close to superposition but shows a strong tendency toward synergism due to a superior structural integrity of the fire residues. Apart from LS, adding G in particular is a promising approach when its content is ≤5 wt%, as is LSG for ≥10 wt%. KW - Low-melting glass KW - Layered silicate KW - Flame retardancy KW - Nanocomposites KW - Epoxy resin PY - 2012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/0734904111422417 SN - 0734-9041 SN - 1530-8049 VL - 30 IS - 1 SP - 69 EP - 87 PB - Sage CY - London AN - OPUS4-25359 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Xu, C. A1 - Battig, Alexander A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Siegel, R. A1 - Senker, J. A1 - von der Forst, I. A1 - Unverzagt, C. A1 - Agarwal, S. A1 - Möglich, A. A1 - Greiner, A. T1 - Investigation of the Thermal Stability of Proteinase K for the Melt Processing of Poly(L‑lactide) JF - Biomacromolecules N2 - The enzymatic degradation of aliphatic polyesters offers unique opportunities for various use cases in materials science. Although evidently desirable, the implementation of enzymes in technical applications of polyesters is generally challenging due to the thermal lability of enzymes. To prospectively overcome this intrinsic limitation, we here explored the thermal stability of proteinase K at conditions applicable for polymer melt processing, given that this hydrolytic enzyme is well established for its ability to degrade poly(L-lactide) (PLLA). Using assorted spectroscopic methods and enzymatic assays, we investigated the effects of high temperatures on the structure and specific activity of proteinase K. Whereas in solution, irreversible unfolding occurred at temperatures above 75−80 °C, in the dry, bulk state, proteinase K withstood prolonged incubation at elevated temperatures. Unexpectedly little activity loss occurred during incubation at up to 130 °C, and intermediate levels of catalytic activity were preserved at up to 150 °C. The resistance of bulk proteinase K to thermal treatment was slightly enhanced by absorption into polyacrylamide (PAM) particles. Under these conditions, after 5 min at a temperature of 200 °C, which is required for the melt processing of PLLA, proteinase K was not completely denatured but retained around 2% enzymatic activity. Our findings reveal that the thermal processing of proteinase K in the dry state is principally feasible, but equally, they also identify needs and prospects for improvement. The experimental pipeline we establish for proteinase K analysis stands to benefit efforts directed to this end. More broadly, our work sheds light on enzymatically degradable polymers and the thermal processing of enzymes, which are of increasing economical and societal relevance. KW - Enzymatic degradation KW - Poly(L‑lactide) KW - Polyesters KW - biodegradation PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01008 SN - 1525-7797 SN - 1526-4602 VL - 23 IS - 11 SP - 4841 EP - 4850 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-56292 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - Dittrich, Bettina A1 - Farooq, Muhammad A1 - Kerling, S. A1 - Wartig, K.-A. A1 - Hofmann, D. A1 - Huth, Christian A1 - Okolieocha, C. A1 - Altstädt, V. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Carbon-based nanofillers/poly(butylene terephthalate): thermal, dielectric, electrical and rheological properties JF - Journal of polymer research N2 - The influence of distinct carbon based nanofillers: expanded graphite (EG), conducting carbon black (CB), thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the thermal, dielectric, electrical and rheological properties of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) was examined. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of PBT nanocomposites is independent of the filler type and content. The carbon particles act as nucleation agents and significantly affect the melting temperature (Tm), the crystallization temperature (Tc) and the degree of crystallinity of PBT composites. PBT composites with EG show insulating behaviour over the tested concentration range of 0.5 to 2 wt.-% and hardly changed rheological behaviour. CB, CNT and TRGO induce electrical conductivity to their particular PBT composites by forming a conducting particle network within the polymer matrix. CNT reached the percolation threshold at the lowest concentration (<0.5 wt.-%), followed by TRGO (<1 wt.-%) and CB (<2 wt.-%). With the formation of a particle network, the flow behaviour of composites with CB, CNT and TRGO is affected, i.e., a flow limit occurs and the melt viscosity increases. The degree of influence of the carbon nanofillers on the rheological properties of PBT composites follows the same order as for electrical conductivity. Electrical and rheological results suggest an influence attributed to the particle dispersion, which is proposed to follow the order of EG<< CB