Enhancement of an organic–metallic hybrid charring agent on flame retardancy of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer

An organic triazine charring agent hybrid with zinc oxide (OTCA@ZnO) was prepared and well characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The flame retardancy and thermal behaviour of intumescent flame retardant ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) composites combining OTCA@ZnO and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) were investigated using limited oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 vertical burning, cone calorimetry and TGA. The structure and morphology of chars were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, laser Raman spectroscopy analysis (LRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results revealed that OTCA@ZnO exhibited excellent thermal stability and dispersity after hybridization. The flame retardancy and smoke suppression properties of EVA were significantly improved by introducing APP/OTCA@ZnO. TGA results indicated that APP/OTCA@ZnO presented an excellent synergistic effect and promoted the char formation of EVA composites. Residue analysis results showed more char with high quality connected by richer P–O–C, P–N and P–O–Si structures was formed in APP/OTCA@ZnO system than APP/HOTCA/ZnO system, which consequently suppressed more efficiently the combustion and smoke production due to the in situ catalytic carbonization effect of hybrid.