Microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate with epoxy resin shell: preparation, characterization, and application in EP system

Microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate with an epoxy resin (EP) shell (MCAPP) was prepared by in situ method, and was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermgravimetric analysis (TGA). Compared to ammonium polyphosphate (APP), MCAPP has smaller particle sizes and lower water solubility. The effect of MCAPP on the fire performance of EP was studied by using limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL-94 tests. When the same loading levels of APP or MCAPP were added into EP, the LOI and UL-94 tests show similar results. Tensile, bending, and impact strengths of the EP/APP and EP/MCAPP composites were also evaluated, and the results indicate that MCAPP has much less negative influence on the mechanical properties than APP. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.