| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1398216 | European Polymer Journal | 2013 | 8 Pages |
The layer by layer (LbL) technique has been exploited for depositing a completely inorganic silica coating on 0.2 and 1 mm thick polycarbonate (PC) films. The modification of the surface of the polymer substrate has been assessed by contact angle measurements, SEM and FT-IR analyses. The flammability and combustion behaviour of the LbL-treated films have also been investigated: surprisingly, the coatings deposited on 0.2 mm PC films have suppressed the incandescent melt dripping during the flammability tests. Furthermore, cone calorimetry tests have shown a great enhancement of the flame retardancy properties of PC, after the LbL treatment. On the other hand, a significant decrease of the performances of 1 mm coated substrates has been observed and ascribed to the too low surface-to-bulk ratio and to the poor coating stability during the combustion, as revealed by SEM analysis.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Layer by layer nanoarchitectures have been deposited for the surface protection of PC. ► 0.2 and 1 mm thick films have been covered depositing 5, 10 and 20 silica/silica bilayers. ► The deposited coatings significantly improved the fire retardancy of PC. ► The melt dripping of PC (0.2 mm thick) has been suppressed by the deposited coating. ► A good transparency of PC has been maintained.
