Mngomezulu, MELuyt, ASChapple, Stephen AJohn, Maya J2018-05-152018-05-152018-01Mngomezulu, M.E., Luyt, A.S., Chapple, S.A. and John, M.J. 2018. Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites. Journal of Renewable Materials, vol 6(1), pp 26-372164-6325http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/scrivener/jrm/2018/00000006/00000001/art00002http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10208Copyright: 2018. Elsevier. Due to copyright restrictions, the attached PDF file only contains the abstract of the full text item. For access to the full text item, please consult the publisher's website. The definitive version of the work is published in Journal of Renewable Materials, vol 6(1), pp 26-37This work reports on the effect of commercial expandable graphite (EG) on the flammability and thermal decomposition properties of PLA-starch blend. The PLA-starch/EG composites were prepared by melt-mixing and their thermal stability, volatile pyrolysis products and flammability characteristics were investigated. The char residues of the composites, after combustion in a cone calorimeter, were analyzed with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The thermal decomposition stability of the composites improved in the presence of EG. However, the char content was less than expected as per the combination of the wt% EG added into PLA-starch and the % residue of PLA-starch. The flammability performance of the PLA-starch/EG composites improved, especially at 15 wt% EG content, due to a thick and strong worm-like char structure. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) improved by 74%, the total smoke production (TSP) by 40% and the specific extinction area (SEA) by 55%. The improvements are attributed to the ability of EG to exfoliate at increased temperatures during which time three effects occurred: i) cooling due to an endothermic exfoliation process, ii) dilution due to release of H(sub2)O, SO(sub2) and CO(sub2) gases, and iii) formation of a protective intumescent char layer. However, the CO and CO(sub2) yields were found to be unfavorably high due to the presence of EG.enPoly(lactic acid)-starch compositesExpandable graphiteFlammability propertiesThermal stabilityArticleMngomezulu, M., Luyt, A., Chapple, S. A., & John, M. J. (2018). Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10208Mngomezulu, ME, AS Luyt, Stephen A Chapple, and Maya J John "Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites." (2018) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10208Mngomezulu M, Luyt A, Chapple SA, John MJ. Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites. 2018; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10208.TY - Article AU - Mngomezulu, ME AU - Luyt, AS AU - Chapple, Stephen A AU - John, Maya J AB - This work reports on the effect of commercial expandable graphite (EG) on the flammability and thermal decomposition properties of PLA-starch blend. The PLA-starch/EG composites were prepared by melt-mixing and their thermal stability, volatile pyrolysis products and flammability characteristics were investigated. The char residues of the composites, after combustion in a cone calorimeter, were analyzed with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The thermal decomposition stability of the composites improved in the presence of EG. However, the char content was less than expected as per the combination of the wt% EG added into PLA-starch and the % residue of PLA-starch. The flammability performance of the PLA-starch/EG composites improved, especially at 15 wt% EG content, due to a thick and strong worm-like char structure. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) improved by 74%, the total smoke production (TSP) by 40% and the specific extinction area (SEA) by 55%. The improvements are attributed to the ability of EG to exfoliate at increased temperatures during which time three effects occurred: i) cooling due to an endothermic exfoliation process, ii) dilution due to release of H(sub2)O, SO(sub2) and CO(sub2) gases, and iii) formation of a protective intumescent char layer. However, the CO and CO(sub2) yields were found to be unfavorably high due to the presence of EG. DA - 2018-01 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Poly(lactic acid)-starch composites KW - Expandable graphite KW - Flammability properties KW - Thermal stability LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2018 SM - 2164-6325 T1 - Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites TI - Poly(lactic acid)-starch/expandable graphite (PLA-starch/EG) flame retardant composites UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10208 ER -