Synthesis and Application of a Novel Intumescent Flame Retardant Containing Ferrocenyl

Abstract

A novel intumescent flame retardant (IFR) containing ferrocene and caged bicyclic phosphate groups, 1-oxo-4-[4'-(ferrocene carboxylic acid phenyl ester)] amide-2, 6, 7-trioxa-1-phosphabicyclo- [2.2.2] octane (PFAM), was successfully synthesized. The synthesized PFAM were added to flammable polyurethane (PU) as flame retardants and smoke suppressants. The structure of PFAM was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and elemental analysis. Thermal stability of PFAM was tested by themogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results revealed that PFAM had good thermal stability and high char weight, the char weight up to 54% at 600 °C. Flammability properties of PU/PFAM composites were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) test and UL-94 test, respectively. The results of LOI tests showed that the addition of PFAM enhanced flame retardancy of PU. When the content of PFAM reaches to 3%, the LOI value is 22.2. The morphologies of the char for PU and PU/3% PFAM composite can be obtained after LOI testing were examined by SEM. The results demonstrated that PFAM could promote to form the compact and dense intumescent char layer. Experiments showed that, the PFAM application of polyurethane showed positive effect.