New copper(II)‐coordinated epoxy‐amine polymers with flame‐self‐extinguishment properties: Elaboration, combustibility testing, and flame propagation rate measuring

Abstract

SummaryIn the DGEBA ‐ pepa ‐ CuSiF6 system (DGEBA is diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A; pepa is polyethylenepolyamine containing ethylenediamine (eda) and diethylenetriamine (deta)), a new flame retardant‐hardener for epoxy resins in the form of a chelate complex [Cu(eda)(deta)]SiF6 was synthesized and incorporated into the DGEBA to obtain a number of CuSiF6‐containing epoxy‐amine polymers with reduced combustibility and flame‐self‐extinguishment properties. The resulting samples of the DGEBA/pepa‐CuSiF6(I‐V) were characterized using FTIR spectra, combustibility, and flammability tests and the smoke formation factor measurements. The combustibility of the polymer samples were investigated using “Ceramic tube” (CT) method. Results of CT measurement reveal that maximal temperature of gaseous products of combustion for modified epoxy‐amine polymers in comparison with the unmodified epoxy appreciably goes down and weight loss lessen. The flammability of the samples was evaluated by means of UL94 BH and UL94 BV methods. The burning rate of the DGEBA/pepa‐CuSiF6(III) and DGEBA/pepa‐CuSiF6(IV) polymers containing 44 and 66 weight fractions of CuSiF6, respectively, is dramatically reduced compared to that for unmodified epoxy (these samples do not support flame propagation). The rburn. Values for the unmodified epoxy‐amine sample (DGEBA/pepa) is 25.13 mm·min−1.