Zhichao Zhen

As electronics become smaller and more power-dense, glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide 66 (PA66/GF) must combine halogen-free flame retardancy with electrical safety, including a glow-wire ignition temperature (GWIT) ≥ 775 °C and a comparative tracking index (CTI) ≥ 600 V. Conventional low-molecular-weight flame retardants often require loadings above 15 parts by mass, impairing mechanical and electrical properties. Here, a phosphorus-containing polyamide oligomer (DOPO–MA–oligomerPA6) was synthesized via a DOPO–MAH intermediate from 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) and maleic anhydride (MAH), followed by polymerization with ε-caprolactam, then melt-blended with aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP) and melamine polyphosphate (MPP) in PA66/GF. Its oligo-PA6 backbone provides good compatibility with PA66, while its low molecular weight (Mn = 10,984 g mol⁻¹; PDI = 2.569) favors dispersion. The phosphorus groups enhance the efficiency of the ADP/MPP system. With 4 parts oligomer and a total flame-retardant loading of 14 parts by mass per 100 parts PA66/GF, the composite achieved UL-94 V-0 rating, a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 36.1%, a GWIT of 800 °C, and a CTI of 600 V. Its heat deflection temperature, tensile strength, notched impact strength, and flexural modulus were 178.8 °C, 95.0 MPa, 8.7 kJ m⁻², and 8984 MPa, respectively. Compared with the conventional 20-part system, total additive loading decreased by 30%, with simultaneous improvements in flame retardancy, electrical safety, and mechanical properties. This offers a scalable route to high-performance PA66/GF composites.

A reactive synergist (BAAEP) was designed for PP, paired with IFR(APP/CFA) for two-phase flame retardancy. It catalyzed charring, scavenged radicals, and synergized with IFR's intumescent effect for efficient flame retardancy and smoke suppression.

Biodegradable and renewable plastic films have been regarded as promising alternative green materials to achieve the substitution polythene (PE)films to reduce plastic pollution. Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is a kind of biodegradable polyester, which is widely used in the production of biodegradable mulching films. However, the high cost of PBAT limited it applications. Thus, lignin, one of the most abundant biomass resources was incorporated into PBAT matrix in the present work. A series of Lignin/PBAT biodegradable plastics films with different Lignin/PBAT weight ratios (0.00 %-5.00 %) were successfully fabricated using twin screw and twin roll extruders. The chemical compositions, morphologies, thermal stabilities, mechanical properties, and barrier properties of samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TG/DSC, mechanical testing machine, and WVTR, respectively. Results show that the corporation of lignin into PBAT matrix could lead to improved thermal stabilities, mechanical properties and barrier properties of films even after Xenon lamp aging process, especially when Lignin/PBAT weight ratio is 1.00 % in the present work. This work provides a very promising approach for fabrication of biodegradable plastics films with low cost, enhanced mechanical properties and barrier properties, the as-prepared samples may have potential applications in agricultural or food packaging materials.

In this paper, an effective method for preparing poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide) -co- poly (dodecanedioyl) decylamine (PA10T/1012)/graphene oxide (GO) composites by pre-dispersion and one-step in situ polymerization was proposed for the first time. During the process of polycondensation, the condensation between the terminal amino groups of PA10T/1012 chains and the oxygen-containing functional groups of GO allowed nylon to be grafted onto graphene sheets. The effects of polymer grafting on the thermal and mechanical properties of (PA10T/1012)/GO composites were studied in detail. Due to the interaction between PA10T/1012 grafted graphene sheets and its matrix, GO is well dispersed in the PA10T/1012 matrix and physically entangled with it, forming a cross-linked network structure of polymer bridged graphene, thus obtaining enhanced tensile strength, tensile modulus and impact strength. More importantly, benefiting from the cross-linked network structure, the heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the composite is greatly increased from 77.3 °C to 144.2 °C. This in situ polycondensation method opens a new avenue to prepare polycondensate graphene-based composites with high strength and high heat distortion temperatures.