Synthesis of aluminum ethylphenylphosphinate flame retardant and its application in epoxy resin

A novel flame retardant additive, aluminum ethylphenylphosphinate (AEPP), was synthesized from diethyl phenyiphosphonite and aluminum chloride hexahydrate, and characterized by FTIR, H-1 NMR, and P-31 NMR. AEPP was added into diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin (EP) cured by bisphenol A-formaldehyde novolac resin. The flame retardancy of the cured EP was investigated by limited oxygen index, UL 94 test, and cone calorimeter test. The results revealed that the EP composite containing 15% AEPP had a limited oxygen index value of 28.2% with a UL 94 V-O rating. The incorporation of AEPP effectively decreased the peak heat release rate and the total heat release in cone calorimeter test analysis. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that the introduction of AEPP benefited to the formation of a smooth and continuous char layer during combustion of the flame retarded ER The thermogravimetric analysis results indicated that the incorporation of AEPP promoted the initial decomposition of EP matrix, but AEPP/EP composites had a higher char yield at high temperatures. Moreover, the flexural properties of the flame retarded EP composites were studied.