The Effect of Different Smoke Suppressants with APP for Enhancing the Flame Retardancy and Smoke Suppression on Vinyl Ester Resin

Flame retarded and smoke suppressed vinyl ester resin (VER) were prepared through ammonium polyphosphate (APP) coupled with different smoke suppressants. The flame retardancy of these composites was tested by the limiting oxygen index and UL-94 tests. The typical combustion parameters including heat release rate (HRR), peak of HRR (p-HRR), total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke production were detected using a cone calorimeter. The smoke suppressants CaCO₃, ZnMoO₄, Cu₂O, and Fe₂O₃ show different effect on flame retardancy and smoke suppression of VER composites when they are coupled with APP, the synergistic action of APP and CaCO₃ is more effective on decreasing the HRR and smoke release rate than several other smoke suppressants. This is attributed to the fact that CaCO₃ could promote the formation of a dense carbon layer with high thermal stability and anti-oxidation property, which could act as an effective physical barrier. The flame retardant performances and mechanisms of APP and CaCO₃ were evaluated and analyzed at length by thermogravimetric coupled with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, and X-ray diffraction. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 314–322, 2019.