The Effect of Kaolin Clay on Fire Retardancy and Thermal Degradation of Intumescent Flame Retardant (IFR)/Natural Rubber Composite

Study the effect of kaolin clay as a synergistic agent on flame retardancy and thermal degradation in natural rubber based on intumescent flame retardant (IFR); consisting of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as acid source, pentaerythritol (PER) as a carbonization agent and melamine (ME) as a blowing agent was undertaken. The intumescent was examined at different loading (60, 80 and 100 phr). Kaolin clay was incorporated into flame retardant at four different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 wt% of flame retardant) to investigate the synergism between the flame retardant materials. The flammability and thermal degradation of composites were characterized by UL-94 rating (vertical burning) test, cone calorimeter (CONE) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All composites could meet the UL94V-0 standard. A synergist effect was observed when kaolin clay is used in combination with the intumescent flame-retardant through the TGA and CONE results. Moreover Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was done for the char morphology.