Chapter 6 - Cardanol-based flame-retardant polymeric materials

Abstract

With the gradual depletion of fossil resources as well as the increasing awareness of sustainable development and environmental protection, it has been becoming a hot spot in the development of bio-based polymers from some cheap, abundant, and renewable biomass. Cardanol is such a biomass material that has attracted extensive interest for the fabrication of bio-based polymers. However, like most synthetic polymers, cardanol-based polymers also suffer from flammability. To eliminate the fire risk, cardanol-based polymers require flame-retardant modification. In this chapter, we gave an overview of the state of the art of cardanol-based flame-retardant polymeric materials. The functionalization of cardanol was first introduced, on the basis of its multiple functional groups in the unique structure. The main part of this chapter emphasized the preparation and the comprehensive performances especially the antiflammability of various cardanol-based intrinsically flame-retardant polymers including epoxy resins, benzoxazines, novolac resins, polyurethanes, and polyacrylates. In addition to cardanol-based intrinsically flame-retardant polymers, diverse cardanol-based flame-retardant additives for polymers were also reviewed. Finally, we gave a summary of the challenges and perspectives of the cardanol-derived intrinsically flame-retardant polymers and cardanol-derived flame-retardant additives.