Gaseous-phase flame retardant behavior of a multi-phosphaphenanthrene compound in a polycarbonate composite

A multi-phosphaphenanthrene compound (TDBA) was incorporated into polycarbonate (PC) to prepare a flame retardant composite. TDBA improved the flame retardancy of the PC material effectively. The PC composite comprising 10 wt% TDBA passed the UL94 V-0 level with a LOI value of 33.7%. The incorporation of TDBA effectively inhibited the combustion intensity of the TDBA/PC composite via reducing the production of flammable methane and carbonyl-containing substances, suppressing the oxidative process of combustible pyrolysis products, and promoting the PC matrix to form large-scale smoke particles. All these were caused by releasing phosphaphenanthrene fragments, PO, and phenoxyl free radicals from pyrolyzed TDBA. As an additive-type flame retardant with multiple phosphaphenanthrene groups, TDBA was verified to exert its effect mainly in the gaseous phase during flame retarding of PC materials.