- Author
- Gilman, J. W. | Bourbigot, S. | Bellayer, S. | Stretz, H. | Paul, D. R.
- Title
- Styrene-Acrylonitrile Copolymer Montmorillonite Nanocomposite: Processing, Characterization and Flammability.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Lille, France University of Texas, Austin
- Report
- Chapter 13,
- Book or Conf
- Fire Retardancy of Polymers. New Applications of Mineral Fillers. Chapter 13, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK, 177-186 p., 2005
- Keywords
- nanocomposites | flammability | polymers | styrene | clay | spectroscopy | tensile properties | cone calorimeters | mass loss | dispersions
- Identifiers
- Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); NMR spectorscopy; cone calorimetry by mass loss calorimeter
- Abstract
- Interest in polymer clay nanocomposites has increased significantly in recent years. Property improvements include better mechanical properties, better barrier properties, lower water absorption and reduced flammability. To achieve these properties, mica-type layered silicates, such as montmorillonite (MMT), are generally dispersed at the nanoscale in the polymer to yield the so-called "nanocomposite". The pioneering work of Oilman et al demonstrated that the presence of montmorillonite clay produces a substantial improvement in fire performance in polymeric matrices such as polystyrene and polyamides. The purpose of this work is to investigate the melt-processing of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) with MMT clays and the influence of the clay on mechanical properties and on fire performance of SAN. Our work is included in a larger project aimed at understanding the flame retardancy of ABS. Computer housings are typically made from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymer and related blends and these polymers must meet safety standards.