Synthetic hydromagnesite as flame retardant. Evaluation of the flame behaviour in a polyethylene matrix

• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2005.08.009
• Publication Date: 2005-11-24T07:10:06Z
• Authors: Laia Haurie; Ana Inés Fernández; José Ignacio Velasco; Josep Maria Chimenos; José-Marie Lopez ...; Ferran Espiell
• Keywords: Limiting oxygen index; Polyolefin; Cone calorimeter; Aluminium hydroxide; Low-density polyethylene; Ethylene-vinyl acetate; Thermogravimetric analysis; High-density polyethylene; Thermal Stability

Synthetic hydromagnesite obtained from an industrial by-product was evaluated as a non-halogenated flame retardant. It was used in combination with aluminium hydroxide (ATH) and compared with commercial flame retardants like magnesium hydroxide (MH) and natural hydromagnesite–huntite (U) in a polyolefin system of low-density polyethylene/poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (LDPE/EVA). The thermal stability and flame behaviour of the halogen free flame retarded composites were studied by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), limiting oxygen index (LOI), epiradiateur and cone calorimeter. It has been shown that synthetic hydromagnesite could be an alternative solution to the use of MH in non-halogenated flame retardant systems in EVA.