Effect of surfactant types on particle size and morphology of flame-retardant zinc borate powder

Abstract

Zinc borate is a boron-containing chemical material that is used to increase the flame retardancy of polymericmaterials, dyes, cables, fabrics, carpets, and the internal parts of automobiles and planes. Commercially used zinc borate,which has the formula of 2ZnO·3B2 O3·7H2 O, has a particle size between 10 and 20 µm. However, recent studies haveshown that nanosized flame retardants have more superior flame retardancy and less negative effects on mechanicalproperties than microsized flame retardants. Nanosized flame retardants disperse more homogeneously and even lowquantities are sufficient to provide high flame resistance. In this study, nano zinc borate powder was synthesized by awet chemical method and the effects of nonionic, anionic, and cationic surfactants on the particle size and morphology ofthe zinc borate particles were investigated. Chemical purity and physical structures of the synthesized zinc borate powderwere analyzed by XRD, FTIR, TG-DTA, TEM, and Zetasizer. The analysis results showed that the zinc borate powderhad a chemical formula of 2ZnO·3B2 O3·7H2 O. TEM and Zetasizer results indicated that the nano zinc borate powder,which had nanoscale particle size distribution with needle- and flake-like structures, was synthesized using nonionic,anionic, and cationic surfactants.