Room Temperature Preparation of Aluminum Hydroxide Nanoparticles and Flame Retardant Poly Vinyl Alcohol Nanocomposite

Al(OH)3 nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple precipitation reaction. The effect of various amines like ethylene diamine, propylene diamine, triethylenetetramine and tetraethylenepentamine as precipitating agents on the morphology of Al(OH)3 nanostructures was investigated. The influence of Al(OH)3 nanoparticles on the flame retardancy of the poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix was studied using UL-94. Nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Flame retardancy of the nanocomposites enhanced in the presence of Al(OH)3 nanostructures. This improvement of nanocomposites is due to the endothermic decomposition of Al(OH)3 and release of water which dilutes combustible gases.