Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preparation of thiourea-intercalated kaolinite and its influence on thermostability and flammability of polypropylene composite

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A novel thiourea-intercalated kaolinite flame retardant (K-TU) was prepared by intercalating thiourea (TU) into kaolinite. The structure of K-TU was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction. K-TU in association with intumescent flame retardants (IFR) was then introduced into polypropylene (PP) by melt blending. The flammability and thermostability were evaluated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning test (UL-94), cone calorimetry (Cone), and TGA. The results showed that the sample PP/23.5 wt% IFR/1.5 wt% K-TU passed UL-94 V-0 level, had a LOI of 35.4 %, and its peak heat release rate was reduced to 291 kW/m2 from 1474 kW/m2 of neat PP. The TGA results demonstrated that K-TU increased the thermal degradation onset temperature and enhanced the char formation of PP/IFR composites. Meanwhile, the mechanical performance of PP/IFR composite was improved by the presence of K-TU. It was proposed that the improved flame retardancy of PP composite was ascribed to both the shielding effect formed by exfoliated K-TU molecules and gas phase effect caused by inert gases mixture released from TU, which could prohibit the heat and oxygen transfer and dilute the concentration of combustible gases during burning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhang S, Horrocks AR (2003) A review of flame retardant polypropylene fibres. Prog Polym Sci 28(11):1517–1538. doi:10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2003.09.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Liu XS, Gu XY, Zhang S, Jiang Y, Sun J, Dong MZ (2013) Effects of dihydrogen phosphate intercalated layered double hydroxides on the crystal behaviors and flammability of polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci 130(5):3645–3651. doi:10.1002/app.39614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dong MZ, Gu XY, Zhang S (2014) Effects of compound oxides on the fire performance of polypropylene composite. Ind Eng Chem Res 53(19):8062–8068. doi:10.1021/ie500178u

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen XL, Jiao CM (2009) Synergistic effects of hydroxy silicone oil on intumescent flame retardant polypropylene system. Fire Saf J 44(8):1010–1014. doi:10.1016/j.firesaf.06.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Pappalardo S, Russo P, Acierno D, Rabe S, Schartel B (2016) The synergistic effect of organically modified sepiolite in intumescent flame retardant polypropylene. Eur Polym J 76:196–207. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.01.041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang LJ, He XJ, Lu HD, Feng JX, Xie XL, Su SP, Wikie CA (2011) Flame retardancy of polypropylene (nano)composites containing LDH and zinc borate. Polym Adv Technol 22(7):1131–1138. doi:10.1002/pat.1927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu Y, Wang JS, Deng CL, Wang DY, Song YP, Wang YZ (2010) The synergistic flame-retardant effect of O-MMT on the intumescent flame-retardant PP/CA/APP systems. Polym Adv Technol 21(11):789–796. doi:10.1002/pat.1502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lecouvet B, Sclavons M, Bailly C, Bourbigot S (2013) A comprehensive study of the synergistic flame retardant mechanisms of halloysite in intumescent polypropylene. Polym Degrad Stabil 98(11):2268–2281. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2013.08.024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Tang WF, Gu XY, Jiang Y, Zhao JR, Ma WJ, Jiang P, Zhang S (2015) Flammability and thermal behaviors of polypropylene composite containing modified kaolinite. J Appl Polym Sci. doi:10.1002/app.41761

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang L, Wang CJ, Yan ZF, Wu XL, Wang YQ, Meng DW, Xie HX (2013) Kaolinite nanomaterial: intercalation of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromine in a methanol–kaolinite pre-intercalate. Appl Clay Sci 86:106–110. doi:10.1016/j.clay.2013.07.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cheng HF, Liu QF, Yang J, Ma SJ, Frost RL (2012) The thermal behavior of kaolinite intercalation complexes-A review. Thermochim Acta 545:1–13. doi:10.1016/j.tca.2012.04.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Yuan P, Tan DY, Annabi-Bergaya F, Yan WC, Liu D, Liu ZW (2013) From platy kaolinite to alumino silicate nanoroll via one-step delamination of kaolinite: effect of the temperature of intercalation. Appl Clay Sci 83–84:68–76. doi:10.1016/j.clay.2013.08.027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Li YF, Zhang B, Pan XB (2008) Preparation and characterization of PMMA—kaolinite intercalation composites. Comp Sci Tech 68(9):1954–1961. doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2007.04.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Sun DW, Li YF, Zhang B, Pan XB (2010) Preparation and characterization of novel nanocomposites based on polyacrylonitrile/kaolinite. Comp Sci Tech 70(6):981–988. doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2010.02.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang S, Jiang P, Liu XS, Gu XY, Zhao Q, Hu ZW, Tang WF (2014) Effects of kaolin on the thermal stability and flame retardancy of polypropylene composite. Polym Adv Technol 25:912–919. doi:10.1002/pat.3325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Singh G, Saroa A, Rani S, Promila A, Girdhar S, Sahoo S, Choquesillo-Lazarte D (2016) Substituted phenyl urea and thiourea silatranes: synthesis, characterization and anion recognition properties by photophysical and theoretical studies. Polyhedron 112:51–60. doi:10.1016/j.poly.2016.03.036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Fujimori T, Nakamura M, Takaoka M, Shiota K, Kitajima Y (2016) Synergetic inhibition of thermochemical formation of chlorinated aromatics by sulfur and nitrogen derived from thiourea: multielement characterizations. J Hazard Mater 311:43–50. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.02.054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yamaguchi A, Penland RB, Mizushima S, Lane TJ, Curran C, Quagliano JV (1958) Infrared absorption spectra of inorganic coordination complexes. XIV. Infrared studies of some metal thiourea complexes. J Am Chem Soc 80:527–529. doi:10.1021/ja01536a005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhang XR, Xu Z (2007) The effect of microwave on preparation of kaolinite/dimethyl sulfoxide composite during intercalation process. Mat Let 61(7):1478–1482. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2006.07.057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wang ZD, Yoshida M, George B (2013) Theoretical study on the thermal decomposition of thiourea. Comput Theor Chem 1017:91–98. doi:10.1016/j.comptc.2013.05.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Tang WF, Zhang S, Sun J, Gu XY (2016) Flame retardancy and thermal stability of polypropylene composite containing ammonium sulfamate intercalated kaolinite. Ind Eng Chem Res 55(28):7669–7678. doi:10.1021/acs.iecr.6b01722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Almeras X, Bras ML, Hornsby P, Bourbigot S, Marosi G, Keszei S, Poutch P (2003) Effect of fillers on the fire retardancy of intumescent polypropylene compounds. Polym Degrad Stab 82(2):325–331. doi:10.1016/S0141-3910(03)00187-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tang Y, Hu Y, Wang S, Gui Z, Chen Z, Fan W (2003) Intumescent flame retardant montmorillonite synergism in polypropylene-layered silicate nanocomposites. Polym Int 52(8):1396–1400. doi:10.1002/pi.1270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Ren Q, Zhang Y, Li J, Li JC (2011) Synergistic effect of vermiculite on the intumescent flame retardance of polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci 120(2):1225–1233. doi:10.1002/app.33113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Du B, Ma H, Fang Z (2011) How nano-fillers affect thermal stability and flame retardancy of intumescent flame retarded polypropylene. Polym Adv Technol 22(7):1139–1146. doi:10.1002/pat.1914

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Feng C, Zhang Y, Liu SW, Chi ZG, Xu JR (2012) Synergistic effect of La2O3 on the flame retardant properties and the degradation mechanism of a novel PP/IFR system. Polym Degrad Stabil 97(5):707–714. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.02.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Zhu SP, Chen JY, Zuo Y, Li HL, Cao Y (2011) Montmorillonite/polypropylene nanocomposites: mechanical properties, crystallization and rheological behaviors. Appl Clay Sci 52(1–2):171–178. doi:10.1016/j.clay.2011.02.021

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21374004 and 51373018) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (YS201402) for their financial support of this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Carbon Fiber and Functional Polymers, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China

    Wufei Tang, Lixiang Song, Sheng Zhang, Hongfei Li, Jun Sun & Xiaoyu Gu

  2. Centre for Fire Safety Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China

    Lixiang Song & Sheng Zhang

Authors
  1. Wufei Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lixiang Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sheng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hongfei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jun Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiaoyu Gu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoyu Gu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tang, W., Song, L., Zhang, S. et al. Preparation of thiourea-intercalated kaolinite and its influence on thermostability and flammability of polypropylene composite. J Mater Sci 52, 208–217 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0323-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-0323-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation