Enhancing Flame Retardancy and Smoke Suppression in Epoxy Resin Composites with Sulfur-Phosphorous Reactive Flame Retardant

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 29; no. 1; p. 227
• Main Authors: Ma, Xulong, Kang, Ni, Zhang, Yonghang, Min, Yang, Yang, Jianhua, Ban, Daming, Zhao, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 31.12.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Combustion; Composite materials; Decomposition; Epoxy resins; Fire hazards; Fireproofing agents; flame retardant; Flame retardants; Heat resistance; Mechanical properties; phosphaphenanthrene; smoke suppression; Sulfur compounds; suppressed effect; Temperature; China; smoke suppression; suppressed effect; phosphaphenanthrene; flame retardant
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010227

The presence of massive amounts of toxic volatiles and smoke during combustion is a very serious problem facing epoxy resin (EP) composites. Therefore, flame retardants (FRs) can simultaneously enhance flame retardancy and reduce the release of smoke and fatal gases. Herein, a novel sulfur-phosphorous reactive flame retardant (SPMS) was synthesized for epoxy resin. The high efficiency of smoke suppression and flame retardancy of the EP/SPMS-APP hybrid was investigated using a cone calorimeter, a vertical burning test, and limited oxygen index measurements. Compared with those of pure EP, the composite with 20 wt% SPMS-APP reduced the peak heat release rate (pHRR), the peak smoke production rate (SPR), and total smoke production rate (TSR) by 82%, 94%, and 84%, respectively. The results showed a remarkable suppressed effect of alleviating the fire hazard of EP using a sulfur-phosphorus flame retardant.