Influence of ammonium octamolybdate on flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PVC matrix flame retardant composites

Abstract In order to improve the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ammonium octamolybdate (AOM)/nano-antimony trioxide (nano-Sb2O3)/dioctyl Phthalate (DOP)/PVC composites were prepared by high energy ball milling and melt blending methods using AOM as the smoke suppressant. The effects of AOM on the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of the PVC composites were studied by means of vertical burning tests (UL-94), limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cone calorimetry (CCT). The results showed that the flame retardancy of PVC composites containing AOM was improved, namely the UL-94 grade of the composites reached the V-0 grade and the LOI increased from 22.3% to 30.6%, whilst the heat release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), smoke production rate (SPR), total smoke production (TSR) and smoke factor (SF) decreased significantly. In addition, AOM could promote the dehydrochlorination reaction of the PVC composites at lower temperature, resulting in more compact and continuous char residues. Therefore, AOM is an effective smoke suppressant and has a good synergistic flame retardant effect with nano-Sb2O3 in flame retardant PVC matrix composites.