G. Camino et al., Effect of hydroxides and hydroxycarbonate structure on fire retardant effectiveness and mechanical properties in ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, POLYM DEGR, 74(3), 2001, pp. 457-464
The flame retardant effect of inorganic hydroxides, like aluminum hydroxide
and magnesium hydroxide in ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, was evaluated
and compared with that of other inorganic fillers such as boehmite and hyd
rotalcite. The thermal decomposition of the fillers and the mixtures with E
VA polymer were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermo
gravimetry (TG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The most significant flame ret
ardant effects, observed using a mass loss calorimeter, indicated that the
EVA polymer filled with 50 wt.% of hydrotalcite has the slowest heat releas
e rate and the lowest evolved gas temperature. XRD data, combined with ther
mal analysis results, indicated that the layered structure of hydrotalcite
may play a role in the degradation mechanism. The improved fire resistance
of EVA filled with hydrotalcite also results from its intumescent behaviour
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