The Response of Flame-Retardant Polypropylene Composites After Long-Term Exposure to Corrosive Media
7 affiliations
- 1Manufacturing Engineering Department, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- 2Department of Organic Chemistry “C. Nenitescu”, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
- 3Advanced Polymer Materials Group, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
- 4Doctoral School of Engineering Sciences, Valahia University of Târgoviște, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
- 5National Institute for Research & Development for Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independenței, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
- 6Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 030167 Bucharest, Romania
- 7Quality Engineering and Industrial Technologies Department, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
This study evaluates the response of flame-retardant polypropylene composites after long-term exposure to aqueous and chemically aggressive media. Polypropylene (PP), used as a reference material, and PP-based composites containing 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt.% of a phosphorus-based intumescent flame-retardant additive were immersed in water, NaCl solution, H2SO4 solution, and NaOH solution for up to 200 days. The material behavior was initially assessed by gravimetric measurements, based on the absorption/degradation degree calculated for early, mid, and late exposure intervals. This allowed the evolution of the material–medium interaction to be tracked not only by individual mass variations but also by average trends over the exposure period. The exposed systems were further investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to determine whether contact with the selected media modified the thermal degradation profile or the dynamic mechanical response of the composites. The results showed that the incorporated flame-retardant additive increases the interaction of PP with the liquid media, especially at intermediate and high additive contents. TGA/DTG and DMA confirmed that the thermal and viscoelastic behavior of the PP-based systems was maintained after long-term exposure, indicating that the observed medium-induced interactions did not result in substantial deterioration of their bulk thermo-mechanical properties.
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BibTeX
@article{vilcea2026response,
title = {{The Response of Flame-Retardant Polypropylene Composites After Long-Term Exposure to Corrosive Media}},
author = {Elena-Janina Vîlcea and Brîndușa Bălănucă and Mădălina Ioana Necolau and Manuela-Roxana Dijmărescu and Rodica-Mariana Ion and Maria-Cristina Toader},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18202480},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2480},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The Response of Flame-Retardant Polypropylene Composites After Long-Term Exposure to Corrosive Media
AU - Elena-Janina Vîlcea
AU - Brîndușa Bălănucă
AU - Mădălina Ioana Necolau
AU - Manuela-Roxana Dijmărescu
AU - Rodica-Mariana Ion
AU - Maria-Cristina Toader
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/11
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18202480
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2480
AB - This study evaluates the response of flame-retardant polypropylene composites after long-term exposure to aqueous and chemically aggressive media. Polypropylene (PP), used as a reference material, and PP-based composites containing 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt.% of a phosphorus-based intumescent flame-retardant additive were immersed in water, NaCl solution, H2SO4 solution, and NaOH solution for up to 200 days. The material behavior was initially assessed by gravimetric measurements, based on the absorption/degradation degree calculated for early, mid, and late exposure intervals. This allowed the evolution of the material–medium interaction to be tracked not only by individual mass variations but also by average trends over the exposure period. The exposed systems were further investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to determine whether contact with the selected media modified the thermal degradation profile or the dynamic mechanical response of the composites. The results showed that the incorporated flame-retardant additive increases the interaction of PP with the liquid media, especially at intermediate and high additive contents. TGA/DTG and DMA confirmed that the thermal and viscoelastic behavior of the PP-based systems was maintained after long-term exposure, indicating that the observed medium-induced interactions did not result in substantial deterioration of their bulk thermo-mechanical properties.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -