Synthesis of a novel flame retardant containing phosphorus, nitrogen and boron and its application in flame-retardant epoxy resin

Properties and Performance of Epoxy Resin/Boron Acid Composites

This research study focused on the effect of adding boric acid to epoxy resin in order to obtain a composite material with improved properties and performance. To this end, a fine powder of boric acid (H3BO3) was introduced into epoxy resin in different amounts, i.e., 0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g. As the matrix of the epoxy composites, styrene-modified epoxy resin based on bisphenol A (BPA) (Epidian 53) was used. It was cross-linked with two types of curing agents, i.e., an amine (ET) and a polyamide (PAC). The mechanical properties of the obtained epoxy composites (in terms of compressive strength, compressive modulus, and compressive strain) were determined at room temperature in order to assess the effect of the addition of boron acid and of the type of curing agent employed to cure the epoxy on these characteristics. Calorimetric measurements were made to highlight any changes in the glass transition temperature (Tg) as a result of the addition of boric acid to epoxy resin. Finally, flammability tests were performed on both Epidian 53/PAC and Epidian 53/ET epoxy composites to analyze their fire behavior and consequently establish the effectiveness of the selected additive as a flame retardant.

Recent Progress in Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Flame Retardance and Fire-Warning Applications

Graphene-like 2D nanomaterials, such as graphene, MXene, molybdenum disulfide, and boron nitride, present a promising avenue for eco-friendly flame retardants. Their inherent characteristics, including metal-like conductivity, high specific surface area, electron transport capacity, and solution processability, make them highly suitable for applications in both structural fire protection and fire alarm systems. This review offers an up-to-date exploration of advancements in flame retardant composites, utilizing pristine graphene-like nanosheets, versatile graphene-like nanosheets with multiple functions, and collaborative systems based on these nanomaterials. Moreover, graphene-like 2D nanomaterials exhibit considerable potential in the development of early fire alarm systems, enabling timely warnings. This review provides an overview of flame-retarding and fire-warning mechanisms, diverse multifunctional nanocomposites, and the evolving trends in the development of fire alarm systems anchored in graphene-like 2D nanomaterials and their derivatives. Ultimately, the existing challenges and prospective directions for the utilization of graphene-like 2D nanomaterials in flame retardant and fire-warning applications are put forward.

A P/N flame retardant for polyester-cotton fabrics: Flame retardancy, mechanical properties and antibacterial property

A phosphorus‑nitrogen synergistic flame retardant (named POI) was obtained by the chemical reaction between phenylphosphonic acid (PPOA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), and used to give the flame retardancy of PTCO. The effects of PPOA and POI on various properties of PTCO were investigated. PPOA obviously improved the flame retardancy of PTCO/PPOA, while the breaking force of PTCO/PPOA was greatly reduced. However, the introduction of PEI made the surface of fabrics smoother. PTCO/POI had better flame retardancy than PTCO/PPOA did, and the limiting oxygen index value of PTCO/POI reached to 29.8 %. POI had a good effect on reducing the Rmax of both cotton and polyester components. The phosphoric acid groups in POI can promote the dehydration and carbonization reactions of PTCO, which protects the inner fabrics, and POI can release incombustible gases such as NH3 and N2 during burning, which can dilute the oxygen concentration. The flame-retardant mechanism of PTCO/POI was mainly the condensed phase. At the same time, there were no changes in whiteness and mechanical properties compared with those of PTCO, and it also had antibacterial property. This work provides a simple and effective method to prepare flame-retardant and antibacterial PTCO.

A New Phosphorous/Nitrogen-Containing Flame-Retardant Film with High Adhesion for Jute Fiber Composites

In this work, a novel P/N flame-retardant monomer (PDHAA) was synthesized through reacting phenyl dichlorophosphate (PDCP) with N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA). The structure of PDHAA was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. PDHAA monomer and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphate (PM-2) monomer were mixed at different mass ratios, to prepare UV-curable coatings, and then applied to the surface of fiber needled felts (FNFs), to improve their flame retardancy. PM-2 was introduced to reduce the curing time of the flame-retardant coatings and improve the adhesion between the coating and the fiber needled felts (FNFs). The research results indicated that the surface flame-retardant FNFs had a high limiting oxygen index (LOI) and rapidly self-extinguished in a horizontal combustion test and passed a UL-94 V-0 test. At the same time, the CO and CO₂ emissions were greatly reduced, and the carbon residue rate was increased. In addition, the introduction of the coating improved the mechanical properties of the FNFs. Therefore, this simple and efficient UV-curable surface flame-retardant strategy has broad application prospects in the field of fire protection.

Phosphasilazanes as Inhibitors for Respirable Fiber Fragments Formed during Burning of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Resins

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) exhibit additional hazards during and after burning due to respirable fragments of thermo-oxidatively decomposed carbon fibers. In this study, various phosphasilazanes are incorporated into the RTM 6 epoxy matrix of a CFRP to investigate their flame-retarding and fiber-protective properties via cone calorimetry. Residual carbon fibers are analyzed using SEM and EDX regarding their diameter and elemental composition of deposits. The decomposition process of phosphasilazanes is characterized by DIP-MS and infrared spectroscopy of char. Flame-retardant efficiency and mode of action are correlated with the chemical structure of the individual phosphasilazane and compared for neat resin and composite samples. Phosphasilazanes mainly acting in the condensed phase show beneficial fiber-protective and flame-retardant properties. Those with additional gas phase activity are less efficient. The phosphasilazanes degrade thermally via scission of the Si-N bond. The distribution and agglomeration of deposited particles, formed during the fire, influence the residual fiber diameters. Continuous layers show the best combination of flame retardancy and fiber protection, as observed for N-dimethylvinylsilyl-amidophosphorus diphenylester.

Curing of DER-331 Epoxy Resin with Arylaminocyclotriphosphazenes Based on o-, m-, and p-methylanilines

As a result of this research, it was established that the chlorine atom replacement rates in hexa-chlorocyclotriphosphazene by o-, m-, and p-methylanilines' temperatures are crucial in determining which reaction is made. The speed of reaction practically does not affect the polarity of the synthesis solvent. For the formation of fully substituted o-, m-, and p-arilaminocyclotriphosphazenes, the reaction takes 5 h and is carried out in the diglyme at its boiling temperature. The structure of the synthesized AAP was confirmed by ³¹P and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. By means of synchronous DSK and TGA, it is found that the synthesized AAP are crystalline and their thermal destruction has a stepped character. Thermal destruction is shown to be accompanied by the simultaneous removal of three aniline molecules from the AAP molecules. Conducted curing of epoxy resin DER-331 is carried out using the AAP as a curing agent. It has been established that due to steric difficulties, o- AAP does not interact with epoxy resin, unlike m- and p- AAP. The gel fraction in curing resin is measured, and the AAP relate to the stage processes of macromolecule formation. The result is that polymers based on DER-331 and m-, p-AAP have a gel fraction content up to 97 mass. %. These polymers have glass-transition temperatures 80 and 85 °C (m- and p-AAP-based, respectively) and demonstrate fire resistance to standard UL-94 of category V-0.

Effects of Phosphorus and Boron Compounds on Thermal Stability and Flame Retardancy Properties of Epoxy Composites

While plastics are regarded as the most resourceful materials nowadays, ranging from countless utilities including protective or decorating coatings, to adhesives, packaging materials, electronic components, paintings, furniture, insulating composites, foams, building blocks and so on, their critical limitation is their advanced flammability, which in fire incidents can result in dramatic human fatalities and irreversible environmental damage. Herein, epoxy-based composites with improved flame-resistant characteristics have been prepared by incorporating two flame retardant additives into epoxy resin, namely 6-(hydroxy(phenyl)methyl)-6H-dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine-6-oxide (PFR) and boric acid (H₃BO₃). The additional reaction of 9,10-dihydro-oxa-10-phosphophenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) to the carbonyl group of benzaldehyde yielded PFR, which was then used to prepare epoxy composites having a phosphorus content ranging from 1.5 to 4 wt%, while the boron content was 2 wt%. The structure, morphology, thermal stability and flammability of resulted epoxy composites were investigated by FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC). Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the simultaneous incorporation of PFR and H₃BO₃ improved the thermal stability of the char residue at high temperatures. The surface morphology of the char residues, studied by SEM measurements, showed improved characteristics in the case of the samples containing both phosphorus and boron atoms. The MCC tests revealed a significant reduction in flammability as well as a significant decrease in heat release capacity for samples containing both PFR and H₃BO₃ compared to the neat epoxy thermoset.

Facile Preparation of a Novel Vanillin-Containing DOPO Derivate as a Flame Retardant for Epoxy Resins

A novel bio-based flame retardant designated AVD has been synthesized in a one-pot process via the reaction of 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phospha-phenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO), vanillin (VN), and 2- aminobenzothiazole (ABT). The structure of AVD was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and ¹H and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The curing process, thermal stability, flame retardancy, and mechanical properties of the epoxy resin (EP) modified with AVD have been investigated comprehensively. The extent of curing, the glass transition temperature and the crosslinking density of the blend decreased gradually with increasing AVD content. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to demonstrate that the presence of AVD reduced the thermal decomposition rate for EP and enhanced the formation of carbon residue during resin decomposition. A blend of 7.5 wt% AVD (0.52% phosphorus) displays a UL-94V-0 rating and a LOI of 31.1%. Reduction of the peak heat release rate, total heat release rate and total smoke production was 41.26%, 35.70%, and 24.03%, respectively, as compared to the values for pure EP. The improved flame retardancy of the flame retardant epoxy (FREP) may be attributed to the formation of a compact and continuous protective char layer into the condensed phase as well as the release of non-combustible gases and phosphorus-containing radicals from the decomposition of AVD in the gas phase. AVD is a new and efficient biobased flame retardant for epoxy with great prospects for industrial applications.

The P/Si synergistic effect enduing epoxy resin with improved flame retardancy and outstanding mechanical properties

The bisphenol F epoxy resin (DGEBF) reacted with 10-(2,5-Dihydroxyphenyl)-10H-9-oxa-10-phospha-phenantbrene-10-oxide (ODOPB) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) to obtain a novel epoxy resin containing both phosphorus and silicon (EP-P/Si). EP-P/Si exhibited evidently improved flame retardancy, with a limited oxygen index value of 33.4% and UL-94 V-1 rating acquired. In cone calorimeter test, its peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), average effective heat of combustion (av-EHC), and total smoke production (TSP) were reduced by 36.0%, 19.5%,11.5%, and 7.2% compared with neat epoxy resin (EP), respectively, indicating that the P/Si synergistic effect not only improved the flame retardancy but also inhibited the smoke release. The flame retardancy mechanism was studied by analysis of char residue and pyrolysis behavior in gas phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results exhibited that EP-P/Si formed a dense and compact carbon layer acting as a barrier to inhibit further combustion. And the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that it had good thermal stability. In addition, the pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) results suggested that the phosphorus-containing radicals (·PO2) that had quenching effect existed in the gas phase. While the flame retardancy got improved, EP-P/Si also exhibited excellent mechanical properties, with an improvement of 31.8%, 6.2%, and 369.7% in tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength compared with EP, respectively.

Study on tri-imidazole derivatives modified with triazine-trione structure as latent curing agents for epoxy resin

Abstract

In this paper, four novel kinds of triazine-trione based tri-imidazole derivatives (IM-TT, 2MI-TT, 2EI-TT and EMI-TT) were synthesized through the addition reaction between triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) and imidazole (IM), 2-methylimidazole (2MI), 2-ethylimidazole (2EI) and 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole (EMI), respectively. The triazine-trione based tri-imidazole derivatives were blended with epoxy resin and the reactivity, thermal latency and thermal property were investigated. The results on curing behaviors indicated that the curing exothermic peaks of the blends with triazine-trione based tri-imidazole derivatives shifted to higher temperatures compared with those with commercial imidazoles. The curing exothermic peak temperatures (Tps) of the synthesized tri-imidazole derivatives were increased by 23–32 ℃ compared with the unmodified imidazoles. In addition, Rheological behavior results indicated that the EP blends with tri-imidazole derivatives also exhibited excellent storage stability which was as long as 38 days under room temperature. Last but not the least, the EP blends with triazine-trione based tri-imidazole derivatives also exhibited high glass transition temperatures due to introducing of triazine-trione structures with high crosslinking density. The glass transition temperatures (Tgs) of the prepared thermosets ranged from 128 to 152 ℃. The triazine-trione based tri-imidazole derivatives provide a way to prepare latency epoxy resin with high high glass transition temperature and long storage stability.

Article Highlights

Ecofriendly Microencapsulated Phase-Change Materials with Hybrid Core Materials for Thermal Energy Storage and Flame Retardancy

Microencapsulated phase-change material (ME-PCM) employing octadecane as a core material has been practiced for thermal-energy-storage (TES) applications in buildings. However, octadecane as a hydrocarbon-based PCM is flammable. Herein, silica-shelled microcapsules (SiO₂-MCs) and poly(urea-formaldehyde)-shelled microcapsules (PUF-MCs) were successfully prepared, loaded with octadecane/tributyl phosphate (TBP) as hybrid core materials, which not only exhibited good TES properties but also high-effective flame retardancy. SiO₂-MC (ΔH_m = 124.6 J g^-1 and ΔH_c = 124.1 J g^-1) showed weaker TES capacity than PUF-MC (ΔH_m = 186.8 J g^-1, ΔH_c = 188.5 J g^-1) but better flame retardancy with a lower peak heat-release rate (HRR_peak) of 460.9 W g^-1 (556.9 W g^-1 for PUF-MCs). As compared with octadecane (38.7 kJ g^-1), the reduction in total heat release (THR) for SiO₂-MC was up to 22% (30.1 kJ g^-1) with combustion time shortened by 1/6. SiO₂-MC had a typical diameter of 150-210 μm, shell thickness of ∼6.5 μm, and a core fraction of 84 wt %. SiO₂-MC showed better thermal stability with a higher initial evaporation/pyrolysis temperature than PUF-MC. The thermal decomposition of MCs with its mechanism of flame retardancy was significantly studied using thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). The strategy presented in this study should inspire the development of microcapsules with PCMs/flame retardants as hybrid core materials for structural applications.

Synthesis of a Novel Flame Retardant Containing Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Silicon and Its Application in Epoxy Resin

A novel flame retardant (TDA) containing phosphorus, nitrogen, and silicon was synthesized successfully via a controllable ring-opening addition reaction between 1,3,5-triglycidyl isocyanurate, 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide, and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, and TDA was then blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A to prepare flame-retardant epoxy resins (EPs). The chemical structure and components of TDA were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis results indicated that after the introduction of TDA, cured EP maintained good thermal stability with a minimum initial decomposition temperature of 337.6 °C, and the char yields of a EP/TDA-5 sample significantly increased by 76.2% compared with that of the neat EP thermoset. Additionally, with the addition of 25.0 wt % TDA (1.05 wt % phosphorus loading), the limited oxygen index value of cured EP increased from 22.5% of pure EP to 33.4%, and vertical burning V-0 rating was easily achieved. Meanwhile, after the incorporation of TDA, the total heat release and total smoke production of the EP/TDA-5 sample obviously reduced by 28.9 and 27.7% in the cone calorimeter test, respectively. Flame-retardant performances and flame-retardant mechanisms were further analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, energy-dispersive spectrometry, and pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results reveal that the synergistic effect of phosphorus, nitrogen, and silicon plays an excellent flame-retardant role in both gaseous and condensed phases. In addition, the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of cured EP thermosets are well maintained rather than destroyed. All the results demonstrate that TDA endows epoxy resin with excellent flame retardancy and possesses great promise in the industrial field.

Novel phosphorus/nitrogen/boron-containing carboxylic acid as co-curing agent for fire safety of epoxy resin with enhanced mechanical properties

It is a great challenge to develop a high-efficiency reactive flame retardant, applied to anhydride-cured epoxy resin (EP) system, simultaneously possessing good compatibility with matrix and mechanical reinforcement. In this respect, we successfully synthesized a novel phosphorus/nitrogen/boron-containing carboxylic acid (TMDB) through the facile esterification and addition reaction among 1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate (THEIC), maleic anhydride (MAH), 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) and boric acid (BA). TMDB was utilized as a co-curing agent for EP/methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MeTHPA) system and finally cured EP behaved great transparency, suggesting excellent compatibility of TMDB with EP. Compared with pure EP, modified EP exhibited comparable thermal stability and heat resistance but higher flame retardance. With only 15.1 wt% TMDB loading, the LOI value of anhydride-cured EP increased to 29.6% from 20.1% of pure EP, and UL-94 V-0 rating was achieved. The peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) remarkably decreased by 58.5%, 41.7% and 47.2% compared with that of pure EP, respectively. Besides, different measurements revealed TMDB simultaneously functioned in the condensed and gaseous phase during combustion. Furthermore, after incorporation of TMDB, mechanical properties of cured EP were improved and the maximum increments of flexural and tensile strength can reach 11.8% and 61.4%, respectively.

Thermal Stability and Flame Retardancy of a Cured Trifunctional Epoxy Resin with the Synergistic Effects of Silicon/Titanium

An amino curing agent containing silicon/titanium flame-retardant elements (STCA) based on (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and tetrabutyl titanate was successfully prepared. The thermal decomposition and flame-retardant properties of a STCA-cured trifunctional epoxy resin, which was facilely synthesized by 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane and epichlorohydrin via a two-step method, were compared with those of another amino curing agent containing silicon (SCA) based on APTES and methyltrimethoxysilane. The structures of STCA and SCA were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), ²⁹Si NMR, and Raman spectroscopies. The STCA-cured thermoset not only had good thermal stability with an initial decomposition temperature of 344.8 °C and a char yield of 52.7% at 800 °C but also exhibited the overall improvement of flame-retardant properties. V-0 rating was achieved using the UL-94 test, and the value of limiting oxygen index reached 33.8%. From the thermogravimetry-infrared test, the yield of pyrolysis products of the STCA-cured thermoset was significantly decreased, indicating the lower toxicity in contrast to the SCA-cured thermoset. Flame-retardant performances were also investigated using the cone calorimetry test, and the flame retardancy mechanism was studied using scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR, and energy-dispersive spectrometry. The results indicate that the introduction of silicon/titanium to the system reveals the synergistic effects to promote the formation of an intumescent, sufficient, and compact char layer during combustion, which could effectively prevent heat, oxygen, and flame from penetrating into the interior structure, and lead to the retardance of further combustion.

Preparation and properties of a novel fluorinated epoxy resin/DGEBA blend for application in electronic materials

A novel epoxy monomer 4-trifluoromethyl phenylhydroquinone epoxy resin (4-TFMEP) was synthesized via a multistep procedure including the Meerwein arylation reaction and followed by nucleophilic reaction. The chemical structure of 4-TFMEP was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectrum. Then a mixed system (DGEBA/4-TFMEP x%) composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and 4-TFMEP was prepared by a melting method without any solvent. After curing, the properties of this series of mixed epoxy resins were measured and compared with the neat DGEBA. As a result, the blend resins exhibited good thermal stability, excellent hydrophobic and low dielectric properties with 4-TFMEP content increasing. Furthermore, the material of DGEBA/4-TFMEP 40% achieves higher glass transition temperature of 104°C and char yield 33% than DGEBA (char yield = 22%) possessed. In the contact angle testing, DGEBA/4-TFMEP 40% shows 127.2° satisfied the standard of hydrophobic material. In addition, by the test of dielectric properties, DGEBA/4-TFMEP x% materials show lower than DGEBA/boron trifluoride ethylamine (BF3MEA) material, because of the introduced side group of fluorine content into the material improves the electronegativity of epoxy material and reduced the polarizability of molecules efficient. Herein, we believe the novel mixed epoxy system (DGEBA/4-TFMEP x%) has a potential application in electronic industries.

Epoxy resin/cyanate ester composites containing DOPO and wollastonite with simultaneously improved flame retardancy and thermal resistance

Flame-retardant epoxy (EP) resin/cyanate ester (CE) composites were prepared with 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene 10-oxide (DOPO) and wollastonite (Wo). The combustion behavior of the flame-retardant EP/CE composites was investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94, and cone calorimeter tests. It is found that the EP/CE composite containing 7 wt% DOPO and 3 wt% Wo (sample 7DO/3Wo/EP/CE) exerts the best flame retardancy (LOI 35.5% and UL-94 V-0 rating). The peak heat release rate and total heat release of sample 7DO/3Wo/EP/CE increase slightly, while total smoke release decreases about 14% compared with the EP/CE composite containing 10 wt% DOPO (sample 10DO/EP/CE). Thermal studies indicate that the glass transition temperature and temperature at 5% mass loss of sample 7DO/3Wo/EP/CE are higher than that of sample 10DO/EP/CE. Moreover, the mechanical properties of EP/CE composites were investigated.

One-Step Synthesis of Highly Efficient Oligo(phenylphosphonic Dihydroxypropyl Silicone Oil) Flame Retardant for Polycarbonate

A highly efficient flame retardant and smoke suppression oligomer, oligo(phenylphosphonic dihydroxypropyl silicone oil) (PPSO), was synthesized by a one-step reaction. The chemical structure of PPSO was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P NMR), and ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁹Si NMR). The flame-retardant effect of PPSO on the polycarbonate (PC) matrix was investigated by limiting oxygen index, UL-94 vertical burning test, and cone calorimetry, respectively. The results showed that PC/PPSO composites passed UL-94 V-0 rate testing with only 1.3 wt. % PPSO. Furthermore, the incorporation of PPSO can suppress the release of smoke. The flame-retardant mechanism was also investigated via thermogravimetric analysis-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), field-emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. From the result of pyrolysis gas and char residue, PPSO played a synergistic flame-retardant mechanism including the gas phase and the condensed phase.