Flame Retardancy and Thermal Decomposition of Phosphorus-Containing Waterborne Polyurethanes Modified by Halogen-Free Flame Retardants

A Comprehensive Review of Reactive Flame Retardants for Polyurethane Materials: Current Development and Future Opportunities in an Environmentally Friendly Direction

Polyurethanes are among the most significant types of polymers in development; these materials are used to produce construction products intended for work in various conditions. Nowadays, it is important to develop methods for fire load reduction by using new kinds of additives or monomers containing elements responsible for materials' fire resistance. Currently, additive antipyrines or reactive flame retardants can be used during polyurethane material processing. The use of additives usually leads to the migration or volatilization of the additive to the surface of the material, which causes the loss of the resistance and aesthetic values of the product. Reactive flame retardants form compounds containing special functional groups that can be chemically bonded with monomers during polymerization, which can prevent volatilization or migration to the surface of the material. In this study, reactive flame retardants are compared. Their impacts on polyurethane flame retardancy, combustion mechanism, and environment are described.

Strategy for Constructing Phosphorus-Based Flame-Retarded Polyurethane Elastomers for Advanced Performance in Long-Term

Polyurethane elastomer (PUE), which is widely used in coatings for construction, transportation, electronics, aerospace, and other fields, has excellent physical properties. However, polyurethane elastomers are flammable, which limits their daily use, so the flame retardancy of polyurethane elastomers is very important. Reactive flame retardants have the advantages of little influence on the physical properties of polymers and low tendency to migrate out. Due to the remarkable needs of non-halogenated flame retardants, phosphorus flame retardant has gradually stood out as the main alternative. In this review, we focus on the fire safety of PUE and provide a detailed overview of the current molecular design and mechanisms of reactive phosphorus-containing, as well as P-N synergistic, flame retardants in PUE. From the structural characteristics, several basic aspects of PUE are overviewed, including thermal performance, combustion performance, and mechanical properties. In addition, the perspectives on the future advancement of phosphorus-containing flame-retarded polyurethane elastomers (PUE) are also discussed. Based on the past research, this study provides prospects for the application of flame-retarded PUE in the fields of self-healing materials, bio-based materials, wearable electronic devices, and solid-state electrolytes.

Robust, Flame-Retardant, and Anti-Corrosive Waterborne Polyurethane Enabled by a PN Synergistic Flame-Retardant Containing Benzimidazole and Phosphinate Groups

Waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) have attracted great interest owing to their environmentally friendly properties, and are wildly applied in production and daily life. However, waterborne polyurethanes are flammable. Up to now, the challenge remains to prepare WPUs with excellent flame resistance, high emulsion stability, and outstanding mechanical properties. Herein, a novel flame-retardant additive, 2-hydroxyethan-1-aminium (2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)ethyl)(phenyl)phosphinate (BIEP-ETA) has been synthesized and applied to improve the flame resistance of WPUs, which has both phosphorus nitrogen synergistic effect and the ability to form hydrogen bonds with WPUs. The WPU blends (WPU/FRs) exhibited a positive fire-retardant effect in both the vapor and condensed phases, with significantly improved self-extinguishing performance and reduced heat release value. Interestingly, thanks to the good compatibility between BIEP-ETA and WPUs, WPU/FRs not only have higher emulsion stability, but also have better mechanical properties with synchronously improved tensile strength and toughness. Moreover, WPU/FRs also exhibit excellent potential as a corrosion-resistant coating.

Sunflower Oil as a Renewable Resource for Polyurethane Foams: Effects of Flame-Retardants

Currently, polyurethane (PU) manufacturers seek green alternatives for sustainable production. In this work, sunflower oil is studied as a replacement and converted to a reactive form through epoxidation and oxirane opening to produce rigid PU foams. Confirmatory tests such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and hydroxyl value among others were performed to characterize the synthesized polyol. Despite the versatility of rigid PU foams, they are highly flammable, which makes eco-friendly flame retardants (FRs) desired. Herein, expandable graphite (EG) and dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP), both non-halogenated FR, were incorporated under different concentrations to prepare rigid PU foams. Their effects on the physio-mechanical and fire-quenching properties of the sunflower oil-based PU foams were elucidated. Thermogravimetric and compression analysis showed that these foams presented appreciable compressive strength along with good thermal stability. The closed-cell contents (CCC) were around 90% for the EG-containing foams and suffered a decrease at higher concentrations of DMMP to 72%. The burning test showed a decrease in the foam's flammability as the neat foam had a burning time of 80 s whereas after the addition of 13.6 wt.% of EG and DMMP, separately, there was a decrease to 6 and 2 s, respectively. Hence, our research suggested that EG and DMMP could be a more viable alternative to halogen-based FR for PU foams. Additionally, the adoption of sunflower polyol yielded foams with results comparable to commercial ones.

Halogen-free instinct flame-retardant waterborne polyurethanes: composition, performance, and application

Ideal halogen-free instinct flame-retardant waterborne polyurethanes have high flame-retardant efficiency, environmental friendliness, fine compatibility, and good thermostability. Phosphorus flame-retardants are currently widely used in halogen-free instinct flame-retardant waterborne polyurethanes (HIFWPU), especially those with phosphorous-nitrogen co-structures. Phosphorous-nitrogen HIFWPU have become a hotspot because their co-structures provide higher flame-retardance as compared to waterborne polyurethanes. This review introduces three main types of HIFWPU based on composition, performance and application. HIFWPU not only have improved flame-retardance but also satisfy the various requirements for functionality. HIFWPU have been widely developed in textile, furniture, automobile, and aerospace applications.

Eco-friendly functional two-component flame-retardant waterborne polyurethane coatings: a review

Green functional two-component flame-retardant waterborne polyurethane (2K-FWPU) coatings possess outstanding green traits, such as providing eco-friendly protection, having low toxicity, and generating no pollution.

Synthesis and Characterization of Multifunctional Two-Component Waterborne Polyurethane Coatings: Fluorescence, Thermostability and Flame Retardancy

Fluorescent and flame-retardant two-component waterborne polyurethane coatings were synthesized using 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene, a halogen-free polyphosphate and a hydrophilic curing agent, and their properties were systematically characterized. The average particle sizes and zeta potential values were below 170 nm and −30 mV. Meanwhile, the multifunctional two-component waterborne polyurethane coatings had strong fluorescence intensities. When comparing with the coatings with 0.5 wt % 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene, the coatings with 1.0 wt % 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene had a stronger microphase separation. Interestingly, the thermostability of the multifunctional coatings was remarkably improved through 1.0 wt % 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene, and besides it belonged to nonflammable materials. Additionally, all of the coating films passed the solvent resistance testing. These samples with different amounts of 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene are environmental friendly, especially applications that require transparent and fluorescent coatings.

Synergistic effect of phosphorus–nitrogen and silicon-containing chain extenders on the mechanical properties, flame retardancy and thermal degradation behavior of waterborne polyurethane

A phosphorus–nitrogen–silicon containing waterborne polyurethane (FRWPU) was synthesized in order to improve flame retardancy without sacrificing thermal stability and mechanical properties.

Waterborne polyurethane conjugated with novel diol chain-extender bearing cyclic phosphoramidate lateral group: synthesis, flammability and thermal degradation mechanism

A diol bearing cyclic phosphoramidate pendant group was synthesized and covalently conjugated into waterborne polyurethane. The polyurethane possesses long-term hydrolytic stability and good intrinsic flame retardancy.

Phosphonic Acid-Functionalized Polyurethane Dispersions with Improved Adhesion Properties

A facile route to phosphorus-functionalized polyurethane dispersions (P-PUDs) with improved adhesion properties is presented. (Bis)phosphonic acid moieties serve as adhesion promoting sites that are covalently attached via an end-capping reaction to isocyanate-reactive polyurethane particles under aqueous conditions. The synthetic approach circumvents solubility issues, offers great flexibility in terms of polyurethane composition, and allows for the synthesis of semicrystalline systems with thermomechanical response due to reversible physical cross-linking. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used to investigate the effect of functionalization on the semicrystallinity. The end-capping conversion was determined via inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and was surprisingly found to be almost independent of the stoichiometry of reaction, suggesting an adsorption-dominated process. Particle charge detection (PCD) experiments reveal that a dense surface coverage of phosphonic acid groups can be attained and that, at high functionalization degrees, the phosphonic adhesion moieties are partially dragged inside the colloidal P-PUD particle. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCMD) investigations conducted with hydroxyapatite (HAP) and stainless steel sensors as model surfaces show a greatly enhanced affinity of the aqueous P-PUDs and furthermore indicate polymer chain rearrangements and autonomous film formation under wet conditions. Due to their facile synthesis, significantly improved adhesion, and variable film properties, P-PUD systems such as the one described here are believed to be of great interest for multiple applications, e.g., adhesives, paints, anticorrosion, or dentistry.

Synthesis and characterization of novel post-chain extension flame retardant waterborne polyurethane

Flame-retardant waterborne polyurethanes with a phosphorus-containing flame retardant diamine (AWPUs) were synthesized and characterized by the method of post-chain extension technology.