Simultaneous Improvement of the Mechanical and Flame-Retardant Properties of a Composite Elastomer by a Biomimetic Modified Multilayer Graphene

Abstract

Based on the self-polymerization-adhesion behavior of dopamine, multilayer graphene (MLG) was biomimetically modified by polydopamine (PDA), which significantly improved the dispersibility and compatibility of the MLG. A flame-retardant composite elastomer was formed by adding the MLG-PDA and an intumescent flame retardant (IFR) into an ethylene-vinyl acetate elastomer (EVM). This not only improved the flame-retardant properties, but also promoted the compatibility between the interfaces, thereby compensating for the damage caused by IFR to the mechanical properties of the composite elastomer. Compared with EVM/IFR (70/30), the tensile strength (12.3 MPa) and limited oxygen index (28.5) of the EVM/MLG-PDA/IFR (70/27/3) composite elastomer were increased by 33.7% and 10%, respectively. Cone calorimeter test results showed a synergistic flame-retardant effect between the MLG-PDA and IFR, which promoted the formation of a denser carbon layer. Therefore, the MLG modified by PDA can be added to flame-retardant polymers as an effective synergist of intumescent flame retardant systems.

Keywords:

• biomimetic modification
• elastomer
• graphene
• polydopamine
• synergetic flame retardancy

Additional information

Funding

We greatly appreciate the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21875065, 51673064), and the Special Foundation for Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements of Jiangsu Province (BA2016119).