Ultraviolet (UV) curable hybrid material based on palm oil: plasticization effect and flame retardancy

In this study, a UV curable hybrid material from palm oil was prepared with glycerol and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). However, the resin was brittle and flammable. Thus, tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) and polypropylene glycol 400 (PPG) were added in the formulation as a flame retardant and plasticizer respectively. From the results, the gel content of UV cured films were more than 95%. The hardness, adhesion strength, impact, water absorption and wettability of the films were influenced by PPG 400 content as well as TnBP percentage. In addition, the flame retardant properties of coated wood were enhanced by PPG 400 and TnBP too. The results show that high oxygen concentration was needed to ignite the sample with a high amount of PPG 400 and TnBP. The flame retardant properties of the sample were the best for a combination of 15% PPG 400, and 5% TnBP, in the determination of limited oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 and Methenamine pill test.