Mngomezulu, MELuyt, ASChapple, Stephen AMathew, Maya J2019-01-162019-01-162018-09Mngomezulu, M.E., Luyt, A.S., Chapple, S.A. and Mathew, M.J. 2018. Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems. Polymer Engineering and Science, vol 58(9), pp 1619-16290032-38881548-2634https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pen.24751https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.24751http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10622Copyright: 2018 Wiley Online Library. Due to copyright restrictions, the attached PDF file only contains the abstract version 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 Polymer Engineering and Science, vol 58(9), pp 1619-1629The effect of expandable graphite (EG) on the flammability and thermal stability of a poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) blend was investigated. The samples were prepared by melt-mixing and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), simultaneous TGAFourier transform infrared spectroscopy and cone calorimetry. The char residues of the composites after combustion in the cone calorimeter were analyzed with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The thermal degradation stability of the composites was improved and the char content was found to be increased. The flammability performance results indicated that the PLA-starch/PCL blend was successfully modified with the EG micro-filler to obtain fire resistant composites, especially at high filler loadings, due to the formation of an intumescent carbonaceous char. This was confirmed by reductions of up to 64% in both the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and the total smoke release (TSR), and 54% in the specific extinction area (SEA). This is due to the EG acting mainly through a physical mode by cooling and fuel dilution, and through the formation of an intumescent char layer. However, the effective heat of combustion (EHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) yields did not favorably improve.enBiopolymersFlame retardantArticleMngomezulu, M., Luyt, A., Chapple, S. A., & Mathew, M. J. (2018). Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10622Mngomezulu, ME, AS Luyt, Stephen A Chapple, and Maya J Mathew "Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems." (2018) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10622Mngomezulu M, Luyt A, Chapple SA, Mathew MJ. Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems. 2018; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10622.TY - Article AU - Mngomezulu, ME AU - Luyt, AS AU - Chapple, Stephen A AU - Mathew, Maya J AB - The effect of expandable graphite (EG) on the flammability and thermal stability of a poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) blend was investigated. The samples were prepared by melt-mixing and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), simultaneous TGAFourier transform infrared spectroscopy and cone calorimetry. The char residues of the composites after combustion in the cone calorimeter were analyzed with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The thermal degradation stability of the composites was improved and the char content was found to be increased. The flammability performance results indicated that the PLA-starch/PCL blend was successfully modified with the EG micro-filler to obtain fire resistant composites, especially at high filler loadings, due to the formation of an intumescent carbonaceous char. This was confirmed by reductions of up to 64% in both the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and the total smoke release (TSR), and 54% in the specific extinction area (SEA). This is due to the EG acting mainly through a physical mode by cooling and fuel dilution, and through the formation of an intumescent char layer. However, the effective heat of combustion (EHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) yields did not favorably improve. DA - 2018-09 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Biopolymers KW - Flame retardant LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2018 SM - 0032-3888 SM - 1548-2634 T1 - Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems TI - Effect of expandable graphite on thermal and flammability properties of poly(lactic acid)-starch/poly(E-caprolactone) blend systems UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/10622 ER -