BFRL ICON Further Studies on Fire Retardant Polystyrene by Friedel-Crafts Chemistry.


pdf icon Further Studies on Fire Retardant Polystyrene by Friedel-Crafts Chemistry. (592 K)
Wang, Z.; Jiang, D. D.; Wilkie, C. A.; Gilman, J. W.

Polymer Degradation and Stability, Vol. 66, 373-378, 1999.

Keywords:

polystyrene; fire retardants; calorimetry; crosslinking; phosphate; styrene; cone calorimeters

Abstract:

The combination of a copolymer of 4-vinylbenzyl alcohol and styrene with 2-ethylhexyldiphenylphosphate (DPP) and with metal chlorides has been studied by TGA, radiative gasification. Cone calorimetry, and oxygen index measurements. Evidence is presented in support of a cross-linking reaction with the additives and the copolymer which proceeds through a Friedel-Crafts mechanism. This approach reduces the peak heat release rate (HRR) by 60% as measured in the Cone Calorimeter. There is a significant reduction in the mass loss rate during the thermal degradation and evidence of char formation is observed in the radiative gasification experiments.



Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899