Polyethylene modified by magnesium hydroxide
Bronislaw Samujlo
Department of Polymer Processing, Technical University of Lublin
Poland
Keywords: polyethylene, antipyrene, strenght
More and more common is to require from plastics products their lessened flammability at simultaneously lowered or eliminated toxic and corrosive influence of degradation and combustion. It makes necessary to use hologen-free flame retardants as among others aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide. In the range of realised research programme processability thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene modified by hologen-free antipyrenes in above-mentioned hydroxides were researched. In present research selected research results in the range of mechanical properties of polyethylene modified by magnesium hydroxide will be presented.
In the research medium-density polyethylene Daplen DE 3964 (PCD Polymere GmbH) modified by fologen-free antipyrene in magnesium hydroxide FR-20 (Dead Sea Percilase LTD), and by other auxiliary agents was used. Antipyrene was conducted to the polyethylene in quantity of 50 to 60% in process of mechanic-thermal mixing. Extrusion process was conducted useing laboratory extrussion line, which consisted of laboratory extruder Brabender, type Plasti-corder PLV 151, straight extruder sheet die for extrusion of tape and auxiliary equipment. Samples for the research were cut off using dinking die fixed on a press from an axis of the extrusion product along extrusion direction.
On the basis of the research results analysis of influence of concentration of used antipyrene in polyethylene on changes of such mechanical properties as density, tension strength, rip stress and elongation was conducted. Also the influence of auxiliary agents introduced to polymer for extrusion process on received research results was evaluated. Significant changes of researched values along the change of antipyrene concentration were demonstrated. The analysis of the received research results enabled determination of appropriate content of plastics, as far as ability to use them for extrusion of constructional elements with lessened flammability and lack of toxic and corrosive products of degradation and combustion