Polyacrylonitrile flammability

J. Zhang, A.R. Horrocks, and M.E. Hall, Flammability of polyacrylonitrile and its copolymers. III. The flame retardant mechanism of ammonium polyphosphate. Fire Mater., 18, 307-312 (1994). 

The addition of very small amounts of fine carbon fibers73 or polyacrylonitrile fibers74 can reduce the level of inorganic hydroxide required to achieve UL94 V-0 flammability ratings in polyolefin compounds. These secondary additives are thought to function as char promoters. 

Synonyms and trade names cyanoethylene, 2-propenenitrile, vinyl cyanide Use and exposure Acrylonitrile is a colorless, man-made liquid with a sharp, onion- or garlic-like odor. It can be dissolved in water and evaporates quickly. Acrylonitrile is used principally as a monomer in the manufacture of synthetic polymers, polyacrylonitriles, acrylic fibers, and other chemicals such as plastics and synthetic rubber. A mixture of acrylonitrile and carbon tetrachloride was used as a pesticide in the past. - Acrylonitrile is highly flammable and toxic. It undergoes explosive polymerization. The... 

Flammability Tests Burning wool smells like burnt horn, burning silk smells like burnt egg-white, and burning cellulose fiber smells like burnt paper. Polyamide and polyester fibers melt before they burn polyacrylonitrile fibers, upon burning, leave a residue of hard, black spherical particles. On heating the dry fibers in a test tube, wool, silk, and polyamides develop alkaline vapors, while cotton, bast fibers, and regenerated cellulose (rayon) develop acidic vapors (test with moistened universal indicator paper). 

Many of the hazards from the polymer industry arise from the monomers used as raw materials. Many monomers are reactive and flammable, with a tendency to form explosive vapor mixtures with air. All have a certain degree of toxicity vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen. The combustion of many polymers may result in the evolution of toxic gases, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from polyacrylonitrile or hydrogen chloride (HCl) from polyvinylchloride. Another hazard presented by plastics results from the presence of plasticizers added to provide essential properties such as flexibility. The most widely used plasticizers are phthalates, which are environmentally persistent, resistant to treatment processes, and prone to undergo bioaccumulation. 

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