Mechanism of <scp>M</scp><i>_x</i><scp>O</scp>_<i>y</i> nanoparticles/<scp>CNT</scp>s for catalytic carbonization of polyethylene and application to flame retardancy

ABSTRACT Three kinds of metal oxide nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 , Co 3 O 4 , and Ni 2 O 3 ) are produced on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The synergistic effects rendered by the CNTs and metal oxide nanoparticles on carbonization of polyethylene (PE) are studied and applications to flame retardancy of PE are investigated systematically. The CNT‐Ni 2 O 3 delivers the best performance and the mechanism pertaining to the enhanced flame retardancy is proposed and discussed. It is found that under the same conditions, the carbonization rate can be a factor to influence the flame retardancy performance. Among Fe, Co, and Ni, Ni has the fastest carbonation rate, which leads to the best flame retardancy performance. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 45233.