Halogen Free Flame Retardant Based on Organophosphorus Compounds for Expandable Polystyrene Produced by Supension Polymerization

摘要

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) has been widely used in many fields of engineering but present some inconveniences at higher temperatures. When exposed to a heat source the polymeric material decomposes forming volatile combustible products turning EPS an easily flammable material. During a long time, the halogen-based compounds have been incorporated as an additive flame retardant (FR) for different class of polymeric materials with a good efficiency. Nowadays, plastic industry is suffering hard pressures from health organizations once combustion of halogen-based compounds generates the formation of smoke with a number of negative characteristics. Searching for an environmental safety FR option it was studied two different FR compounds, one of them based on organophosphorus compounds, whose works together to provide efficiency as good as the efficiency provided by halogenbased compounds, like hexabromocyclododecane. Fire retardant effectiveness is obtained through the compounds synergies were each FR has to act in different mechanism complementary. Both FRs are added in situ, during the polymerization reaction. Good flame retardancy was obtained with the FR tested. Results demonstrate a reduction of more than 50% in the burning rate of EPS.