The present study aimed to prepare a novel efficient flame retardant additive for polypropylene. The new flame retardant was prepared by chemical grafting of melamine to graphene oxide with the aid of thionyl chloride. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis proved that melamine had been successfully grafted to the graphene oxide. The modified graphene oxide was incorporated into polypropylene via solution mixing followed by anti-solvent precipitatio. Homogeneous distribution as well as exfoliation of the nanoplatelets in the polymer matrix was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a significant improvement in the thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer after incorporating 2 wt% of the modified graphene oxide. The modified graphene oxide also enhanced the limiting oxygen index of the polymer. However, the amount of improvement was not enough for the polymer to be ranked as a self-extinguishing material. Cone calorimetry showed that incorporating 2 wt% of the modified graphene oxide lowered total heat release and the average production rate of carbon monoxide during burning of the polymer by as much as 40 and 35%, respectively. Hence, it was concluded that the new flame retardant can retard burning of the polymer efficiently and profoundly reduce suffocation risk of exposure to burning polymer byproducts.

In the present work, capability of thymolphthalein-grafted graphene oxide, which was successfully synthesized in this study, in stabilization of polypropylene against thermal oxidation were investigated and compared with that of SONGNOX 1010, a commercially used phenolic antioxidant for the polymer. The modified graphene oxide were incorporated into polypropylene via melt mixing. State of distribution of the nanoplatelets in the polymer matrix was examined using scanning electron microscopy and was shown to be homogeneous. Measurements of oxidation onset temperature and oxidative induction time revealed that thymolphthalein-grafted graphene oxide modifies thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer in the melt state remarkably. However, the efficiency of the nanoplatelets in stabilization of polypropylene against thermal oxidation in melt state was shown to be inferior to that of SONGNOX 1010. Furthermore, oven ageing experiments followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the modified graphene oxide improves thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer strongly in the solid state, so that its stabilization efficiency is comparable to that of SONGNOX 1010.