Thermal Degradation and Flammability of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Containing TiO_2 Nanoparticles and Modified Montmorillonite

摘要

The thermal stability and flame resistance of various formulations of PMMA containing micrometric or nanometric TiO_2 and/or organically-modified montmorillonites (OMMT), were studied by thermogravimetric and cone calorimeter experiments. Synergistic effects of fire retardancy between OMMT and TiO_2 were observed, leading to an improvement of PMMA thermal stability together with higher ignition times, reduced heat released, and a significant increase of total burning time. These improvements do not seem to be dependent on the preparation mode of PMMA/oxide nanocomposites since solvent casting and blend mixing lead to quite similar results.