Melamine poly(metal phosphates) as flame retardant in epoxy resin: Performance, modes of action, and synergy

Melamine poly(metal phosphates) (MPMeP) are halogen-free flame retardants commercialized under the brand name Safire. Melamine poly(aluminum phosphate) (MPAlP), melamine poly(zinc phosphate) (MPZnP), and melamine poly(magnesium phosphate) (MPMgP) were compared in an epoxy resin (EP). The thermal decomposition, flammability, burning behavior, and glass transition temperature were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis, pyrolysis combustion flow calorimeter, UL 94 testing, cone calorimeter, and differential scanning calorimetry. While the materials exhibited similarities in their pyrolysis, EP+MPZnP and EP+MPMgP showed better fire behavior than EP+MPAlP due to superior protective properties of the fire residues. Maintaining the 20 wt % loading, MPZnP was combined with various other flame retardants. A synergistic effect was evident for melamine polyphosphate (MPP), boehmite, and a derivative of 6H-Dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine-6-oxide. The best overall performance was observed for EP+(MPZnP+MPP) because of the best protection effectiveness of the fire residue. EP+(MPZnP+MPP) achieved V1/V0 in UL 94, and an 80% reduction in the peak heat release rate. This study evaluates the efficiency of MPMeP in EP, alone and in combination with other flame retardants. MPMeP is a suitable flame retardant for epoxy resin, depending on its kind and synergists. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43549.