Comparison of additive and reactive phosphorus-based flame retardants in epoxy resins

Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of phosphorus-based additive and reactive flame retardants (FR) on the flammability and mechanical properties of a pentaerythritol-based model epoxy resin system cured with a cycloaliphatic diamine hardener. Commercially available ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was used as additive and 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenantrene-10-oxide (DOPO) as reactive flame retardant. The behaviour of these systems was also compared to a recently synthesized phosphorus-containing amine (TEDAP), which can be used both as flame retardant and crosslinking agent.