05/25/2021
By Sokny Long

The University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Plastics Engineering, invites you to attend a master’s thesis defense by Caitlin Margaret Janielis on “Evaluation of Ionic Additives for Improved Flame Retardancy of Melt Spun Fibers.”

MSE Candidate: Caitlin Margaret Janielis
Defense Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Time: 2 to 3 p.m. EST
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should contact Caitlin_Janielis@student.uml.edu and committee advisor, Stephen_Johnston@uml.edu, at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access to the meeting.

Committee Chair (Advisor): Stephen Johnston, Associate Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:

  • Jay Park, Assistant Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Akshay Kokil, Assistant Teaching Professor, Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Brief Abstract:

Flame retardant clothing has many applications ranging from personal protective equipment for soldiers and first responders to garments for children and the elderly. Flame retardants can be applied as a coating to fabric via spraying, however flame retardants lose efficiency during laundering and wear. Ionic liquid treatments have been shown to improve flame retardancy and electrostatic discharge of garments in a halogen-free manner, which is of interest to the US Army.

The research conducted evaluates the flame retardant properties of ionic solids, a proposed melt processable material that can be directly compounded into the fabric itself. If successful, this would lead to a flame retardant material that will be safe and effective throughout its life. For this research, the ionic solids are compounded into a Hytrel extruded fiber, the main goal being to eventually compound into nylon. Hytrel 8238, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, was selected for this application due to its elastic behavior as well as more forgiving processing conditions. The mechanical and thermal properties have been tested on the blend of ionic solid and Hytrel that was able to be collected during micro compounding trials.

At the end of experimentation, the ionic solids did not perform as was anticipated at the beginning of testing. There were many complications along the way including the particle size of the material and its inability to melt at the required temperature range as the Hytrel. This led to many issues while processing, causing an uneven distribution of ionic solids within the fiber, ultimately compromising the flame retardant properties as initially intended.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend the online defense via remote access.