A facile strategy to fabricate microencapsulated expandable graphite as a flame‐retardant for rigid polyurethane foams. Issue 31 (12th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Xiao‐Liang; Duan, Hong‐Ji; Yan, Ding‐Xiang; Kang, Li‐Quan; Zhang, Wei‐Qin; Tang, Jian‐Hua; Li, Zhong‐Ming
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied polymer science. Volume 132:Issue 31(2015)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2015-05-12
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/app.42364
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8995

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>A facile strategy is reported for one‐step preparation of reactive microencapsulated expandable graphite (EG) for flame‐retardant rigid polyurethane foams (RPUF), which is based on <italic>in situ</italic> emulsion polymerization and the use of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) as reactive polymer shell. FTIR and SEM observations well demonstrate the formation of PGMA microencapsulated EG (EG@PGMA) particles. The encapsulation of PGMA shell significantly improves the expandability of EG particles from 42 to 70 mL g⁻¹. RPUF/EG@PGMA composite with only 10 wt % EG@PGMA loading reaches the UL‐94 V‐0 rating. The limiting oxygen indexes increase remarkably from 21.0 to 27.5 vol %. Additionally, the improved chemical and physical interaction enhance the interfacial bonding between EG and matrix, thus resulting in improved mechanical properties of RPUF/EG@PGMA. These attractive features suggest that the strategy proposed here can serve as a promising means to prepare highly efficient, reactive microencapsulated EG and corresponding good flame‐retarding RPUF with high mechanical properties. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. <bold>2015</bold>, <italic>132</italic>, 42364.</p> </abstract>