Synergistic flame retardancy and smoke suppression in epoxy composites enabled by phosphomolybdate-intercalated ldhs and an intumescent flame retardant system
摘要
Epoxy resin is widely used in various industries due to its excellent properties, but its high flammability poses significant safety risks. In this study, phosphomolybdic acid-intercalated zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides (PMo-LDHs) were synthesized via ionic column-supported intercalation co-precipitation and combined with an intumescent flame retardant system (IFRs) composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), melamine (MEL), and pentaerythritol (PER). The obtained PMo-LDHs/IFR hybrid was then incorporated into epoxy resin and cured with polyamide resin to form epoxy-polyamide resin (EP) composites. The resulting PMo-LDHs/IFR/EP composites were thoroughly characterized. With the addition of 2 wt% PMo-LDHs, the composite achieved a V-0 rating in the UL-94 test, with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value increased by 39.1% compared to pure EP. Moreover, the total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) were reduced by 73.7% and 75.6%, respectively. Analysis of the residual char indicated that the incorporation of PMo-LDHs enhanced the quality and stability of the char layer, effectively inhibiting flame spread and smoke release. This work provides a promising strategy for developing high-performance, environmentally friendly flame-retardant epoxy-polyamide composites with enhanced fire safety.