Enhancing cellular structure, mechanical properties, thermal stability and flame retardation of EVA/NR blend nanocomposite foams by silicon dioxide-based flame retardant

Flame retardant rubber foams of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/natural rubber (NR)/layered silicate blends filled with silicon dioxide (SiO2) were prepared by using azodicarbonamide (ADC) as a blowing agent. Specifically, SiO2 was added in EVA/NR blend nanocomposites to produce good flame retardant foams. The properties of EVA/NR blend nanocomposite foams with different SiO2 loading (0, 20, 30, 40 parts per hundred rubber, phr) were investigated through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheological property test, mechanical property measurement, flammability tests, thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyrolysis-GC-MS). Compared with the simple EVA/NR blend nanocomposite, the added SiO2 increased the blend compatibility between EVA and NR phases and melt strength/viscosity of the EVA/NR blend nanocomposites, thus promoting cellular structure of the EVA/NR nanocomposite foams. Increasing SiO2 loading resulted in higher cell density, smaller cell size, and lower volume of void. These improvements caused higher strength and elastomeric recovery. The LOI test results showed that flame retardancy of the EVA/NR blend nanocomposite foams increased at higher SiO2 loading as a result of formation of insulation silicon dioxide-based char. TGA and pyrolysis-GC-MS analyses also validated the finding that the silicon dioxide-based char in the foamed samples containing higher SiO2 loading was more effective on improving thermal stability, which was responsible for lower material combustibility and better flame retardancy. Based on our finding, it was concluded that a good flame retardant EVA/NR blend nanocomposite foam with the best improvement in strength and elastomeric recovery was achieved when combined with 40 phr SiO2.