Effects of synthesis conditions on crystal morphological structures and thermal degradation behavior of hydrotalcites and flame retardant and mechanical properties of EVA/hydrotalcite blends

Abstract The effects of synthesis methods and reaction conditions on the crystal morphological structures and thermal degradation behavior of hydrotalcites have been studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analysis (PSA), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The flame retardant and mechanical properties of ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) blends with the corresponding hydrotalcites have been estimated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94, and mechanical measurements. The results from the XRD, TEM, and PSA demonstrate that the hydrotalcites synthesized by ultrasound method have larger crystal sizes and particle size distribution than those by mechanical stirring method. Higher reaction temperature, longer dripping time, and lower solution concentration can increase the crystal and particle sizes of ultrasound‐synthesized hydrotalcites, whereas the longer ultrasound aging time can increase the crystal sizes and decrease the particle sizes of hydrotalcites because of the smashing conglomeration. The DTA data give a positive evidence that the hydrotalcite samples prepared by mechanical stirring method with longer alkaline dripping time have higher thermal degradation temperature than those by ultrasound method, since the ultrasound‐synthesized hydrotalcites have more lattice defects than stirring‐prepared hydrotalcites. The data from LOI, UL‐94, and mechanical tests show that the ultrasonic‐synthesized hydrotalcites have better flame retardant properties, whereas the stirring‐synthesized hydrotalcites have better tensile strength in the EVA/hydrotalcite blends. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:131–138, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers