# Flame-Retardant Properties of a Styrene-Vinyl Tetrazole Copolymer Additive in an LDPE/EVA Blend

## TL;DR

A new styrene-vinyl tetrazole copolymer additive improves flame resistance in LDPE/EVA blends by forming a protective char layer.

## Contribution

The synergistic effect of styrene-vinyl tetrazole copolymer and ammonium polyphosphate on flame retardancy in LDPE/EVA is newly demonstrated.

## Key findings

- A 70% reduction in peak heat release rate was observed in LDPE/EVA composites with additives.
- The copolymer releases non-toxic nitrogen gas and promotes char formation during thermal decomposition.
- Mechanical and thermal properties were evaluated using TGA, DSC, and cone calorimetry.

## Abstract

In this work, we report the effect of combining styrene-vinyl tetrazole copolymer (StVTz) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) on the thermal degradation, mechanical properties, flame retardancy, and char formation of low-density polyethylene with ethyl vinyl acetate (LDPE/EVA) composites. The tetrazole heterocycle exhibits high thermal stability (>200 °C), and during its thermal decomposition, it releases non-toxic nitrogen gas. Its degradation generates reactive species capable of cross-linking the polymer chains, thereby promoting the formation of a protective char layer. To evaluate the influence of composition on the intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) properties of LDPE/EVA blends, different concentrations of APP and StVTz additives were incorporated. The composites were prepared in an internal mixer (Brabender Intelli-Torque Plasti-Corder). Test specimens were obtained by compression molding and subsequently cut into appropriate shapes for each analysis. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile testing. Morphology of cone calorimetry (CC) residues was examined using SEM. Flammability properties, studied using CC, revealed a 70% reduction in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and a 48% reduction in the total heat release (THR) compared to the neat LDPE/EVA blend. These results indicate that StVTz and APP act synergistically to improve the flame-retardant properties of LDPE/EVA.