Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene Synergized With <scp>MPP</scp> / <scp>ADP</scp> for In Situ Polymerized Flame‐Retardant <scp>PA6</scp> Composites

ABSTRACT Polyamide 6 (PA6) is inherently flammable and prone to severe melt‐dripping, which severely restricts its application in aerospace, rail transit, and public safety sectors. To address this, we developed a complementary flame‐retardant system by incorporating electrochemically exfoliated graphene (GR), melamine polyphosphate (MPP), and aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP) into PA6 via in situ polymerization. The thermal stability and interactions among the three components were thoroughly investigated. The results indicate that the optimized formulations exhibit significant flame‐retardant enhancement. Specifically, the GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐012 and GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐75 composites achieved limiting oxygen index (LOI) values of 35% and 29%, respectively, and both passed the vertical burning test and achieved V‐0 rating, without any dripping. In cone calorimetry, the GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐57 composite demonstrated the most effective heat‐release suppression, with the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) significantly reduced to 76.3 kW m −2 and 37.7 MJ m −2 , respectively. Mechanistic analysis reveals that GR forms a continuous, compact physical barrier during combustion, effectively hindering heat transfer. MPP promotes the formation of an expanded char layer, enhancing condensed‐phase protection. Meanwhile, ADP releases PO · radicals in the gas phase to quench flame‐active species and simultaneously promotes char formation. The three components work complementarily, establishing a multi‐level “barrier–charring–quenching” flame‐retardant network. This study proposes an efficient and environmentally friendly flame‐retardant strategy for PA6. By optimizing the ratio of each flame retardant, the resulting composites exhibit superior flame‐retardant performance, offering new insights into the flame‐retardant modification of engineering plastics and the design of multi‐component systems.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology
Published
2026-02-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/vnl.70083
Primary Topic
Flame retardant materials and properties
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene Synergized With MPP / ADP for In Situ Polymerized Flame‐Retardant PA6 Composites

Cheng Cao, Wuyan Cao, Li Liu, Yuejun Liu et al.
Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology
Flame retardant materials and properties
article

Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene Synergized With MPP / ADP for In Situ Polymerized Flame‐Retardant PA6 Composites

Cheng Cao, Wuyan Cao, Li Liu, Yuejun Liu, Dengwang Lai, Jun Yang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Polyamide 6 (PA6) is inherently flammable and prone to severe melt‐dripping, which severely restricts its application in aerospace, rail transit, and public safety sectors. To address this, we developed a complementary flame‐retardant system by incorporating electrochemically exfoliated graphene (GR), melamine polyphosphate (MPP), and aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP) into PA6 via in situ polymerization. The thermal stability and interactions among the three components were thoroughly investigated. The results indicate that the optimized formulations exhibit significant flame‐retardant enhancement. Specifically, the GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐012 and GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐75 composites achieved limiting oxygen index (LOI) values of 35% and 29%, respectively, and both passed the vertical burning test and achieved V‐0 rating, without any dripping. In cone calorimetry, the GR/MPP/ADP/PA6‐57 composite demonstrated the most effective heat‐release suppression, with the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) significantly reduced to 76.3 kW m −2 and 37.7 MJ m −2 , respectively. Mechanistic analysis reveals that GR forms a continuous, compact physical barrier during combustion, effectively hindering heat transfer. MPP promotes the formation of an expanded char layer, enhancing condensed‐phase protection. Meanwhile, ADP releases PO · radicals in the gas phase to quench flame‐active species and simultaneously promotes char formation. The three components work complementarily, establishing a multi‐level “barrier–charring–quenching” flame‐retardant network. This study proposes an efficient and environmentally friendly flame‐retardant strategy for PA6. By optimizing the ratio of each flame retardant, the resulting composites exhibit superior flame‐retardant performance, offering new insights into the flame‐retardant modification of engineering plastics and the design of multi‐component systems.

Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology
Zhuzhou Central Hospital (CN), Hunan University of Technology (CN)
Strong, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Hunan University, Research and Innovation Foundation, Coastal Response Research Center, University of New Hampshire
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 56%
Flame retardant materials and properties
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.