Abstract

In order to improve fire performance of polymeric materials, phosphorus flame retardants (FRs) were studied in an attempt to obtain UL-94 ratings for materials based on unsaturated polyester. The fire behaviors and thermal stability properties were evaluated using UL-94 vertical test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The UL-94 test results show that V-1 rating is achieved. TGA and UL-94 results concluded that phosphorus FRs employed in this study works on both vapor phase and condensed phase, but the vapour phase is dominant mode of action. These suggested that the addition of FRs probably does affect on the char layer formed during combustion behavior and increase the flame retardant properties in the case of condensed phase mode of action. The efficiency of flame retardant of phosphorus also highly depends upon the phosphorus moieties generated during the decomposition which further converted to radical capturing species, and consequently quenching the flame in the case of gas phase mode of action. These FRs can be promising candidates that replace the halogen-based.