Cyanate Ester Clay Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Flammability Studies.
Cyanate Ester Clay Nanocomposites: Synthesis and
Flammability Studies.
(1599 K)
Gilman, J. W.; Harris, R. H., Jr.; Hunter, D.
Evolving and Revolutionary Technologies for the New
Millennium. International SAMPE Symposium/Exhibition,
44th. Proceedings. Society for the Advancement of
Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE). May 23-27,
1999, Long Beach, CA, 1408-1423 pp, 1999.
Keywords:
nanocomposites; flammability; phenolictriazines;
aircraft compartments; fire safety; aircraft interiors
Abstract:
New goals outlined by the U. S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Advanced Fire-Safe Aircraft
Materials Research Program enumerate an
order-of-magnitude improvement in aircraft
cabin-material fire safety. In the pursuit of improved
approaches to the design of ultra-fire-safe aircraft
interior materials, a wide variety of concerns must be
addressed in addition to flammability. For many
polymers used in the interior of aircraft cost is a
major concern for aircraft manufacturers. Therefore, an
additive approach to improving the fire safety of
polymers is attractive. The additives must be
inexpensive and easily processed with the, polymer. In
addition, the additive must not excessively degrade the
other performance properties of the polymer, and it must
not create environmental problems when recycling or at
the time of its final disposal. We have recently found
that polymer layered-silicate (clay) nanocomposites have
the unique combination of improved flammability
properties, and improved physical properties as well as
recyclability. We report here on the use of a layered
silicate, montmorilionitc clay, dispersed at the
nanometer level, in cyanate ester resins for improving
flammability. We show that the use of melamine-treated
montmorillonite in these resins yields exfoliated
moutmorillonite in the cured cyanate ester
nanocomposites. This reduces the peak heat release rate
by over 50%. We anticipate that this nanocomposite
approach would be especially useful in improving
toughened cyanate ester resins since the typical
toughening agents used often increase the flammability
and lower the modulus.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899