Flame-Retardant Nanocomposite Polymeric Materials Based on High-Density Polyethylene and Aluminum Hydroxide Nanoparticles

Abstract— Organo-inorganic nanocomposite materials based on high-density polyethylene and inorganic ecologically safe flame-retardant aluminum hydroxide have been prepared via the fundamental strategy of crazing of polymers. The protocols providing efficient introduction of aluminum salt as a precursor into the mesoporous polymeric matrices have been elaborated, and optimal conditions of in situ hydrolysis of the aluminum salt in confined space of mesopores have been found. The hydrolysis has resulted in the aluminum salt conversion into aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles with unimodal size distribution, uniformly distributed within the polymer matrix. The obtained HDPE-based nanocomposite materials with low content of aluminum hydroxide (below 30 wt %) have revealed low flammability and high mechanical characteristics.