Up-to-date Review on Research and Development of Flame-retardant Polymeric Composites Containing Expandable Graphite - Part 2: Use of Expandable Graphite for Flame-retardation of Polymeric Materials other than Polyolefins -

Abstract

This paper reviews up-to-date research and development on improvement of flame retardancy of some polymeric materials other than polyolefins, compounded with expandable graphite, focusing particularly on the related works published in the past decade. The literature survey has revealed that two different types of studies for improvement of flame retardancy of polymeric materials containing expandable graphite have been conducted; i.e., one is to develop expandable graphite with improved performances, and the other is to search for formulations for polymeric composites with improved synergistic flame-retardant effect when compounded with expandable graphite. In addition, it is also noted that there has been a recent tendency to try to compound expandable graphite not only with polyurethane but with some other polymer matrixes, such as polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (i.e., ABS) resin, polylactide, cyanate ester resin, epoxy resin, silicone rubber. etc.