Effect of Flame Retardants on the Flammability and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Cellulose FiberThermoplastic Composites

Ruhul A. Khan; Haydar Zaman

Abstract

In this work, recycled cellulose fiber and two different types of flame retardants, including magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) with smaller particle size and zinc borate with antimony trioxide (ZB-AT), were heavily combined with thermoplastic polymer to create a fire retardant composite. Composites were made using a melt-blending technique and injection molding, which have a number of benefits like being inexpensive, being able to get rid of industrial materials, and having superior mechanical properties. By using horizontal burning rate and oxygen index tests, the flammability of polymer matrix, recycled cellulose fiber filled polymer matrix composites, and the flame retarding impact of magnesium hydroxide for these composites were investigated. Studies have also been done on the effects of flame retardants such zinc borate with antimony trioxide when combined with magnesium hydroxide. The flammability of a composite packed with recycled cellulose fibers can be efficiently reduced to 50% of a composite without flame retardant by adding 25% magnesium hydroxide. The flame retardant characteristic of magnesium hydroxide is shown to have a retarding effect rather than a synergetic effect when around 5% of it is replaced with zinc borate. The mechanical properties of the flame retardant filled composites exhibit somewhat worse characteristics compared to the composites without a flame retardant while exhibiting superior characteristics compared to virgin PP.