Photoaging and Fire Performance of Polypropylene Containing Melamine Phosphate

This work investigated the effect of melamine phosphate (MPP) on the photoaging process of polypropylene (PP) and correlated photoaging and fire performance. The PP composites containing MPP were prepared by melt blending before being exposed to UVA light for different periods. The irradiated PP composite samples were characterized by the analysis of tensile properties, surface topography, thermal degradation, and carbonyl index. In contrast to conventional halogenated flame retardants and ammonium polyphosphate, we confirmed that the presence of MPP significantly delayed the aging process and improved the thermal stability of PP. The carbonyl index of the PP composite containing 20 phr MPP was decreased by 60% after being irradiated for 60 h compared with that of the control PP sample. The flammability characterization revealed that the aging process had a minimal effect on the fire performance of the PP composite. This work has demonstrated that the addition of MPP is an effective approach for imparting flame retardancy with a long life cycle to polymeric composites.