This paper provides an insight into some developments in flame retardants for different polymeric materials in China, primarily based on the publications that have appeared in the last 15 years. It focuses on the following aspects: halogen-containing flame retardants, inorganic flame retardants (e.g. metal oxides and hydroxides, silicon-containing materials, ammonium polyphosphate, red phosphorus, and expandable graphite), and organic flame retardants (e.g. aliphatic and aromatic phosphonates, nitrogen-containing organics, and multi-element organics). The inherently flame-retardant polymer systems are also reviewed. The exploration of the novel flame retardants and flame-retardant systems provides a powerful basis for the construction of flame-retardant technologies and industrial applications in China. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A review on flame retardant technology in China. Part I: development of flame retardants

New application for aromatic Schiff base: High efficient flame-retardant and anti-dripping action for polyesters

Flame-retardant and anti-dripping effects of a novel char-forming flame retardant for the treatment of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics

Most organic polymeric materials have high flammability, for which the large amounts of smoke, toxic gases, heat, and melt drips produced during their burning cause immeasurable damages to human life and property every year. Despite some desirable results having been achieved by conventional flame-retardant methods, their application is encountering more and more difficulties with the ever-increasing high flame-retardant requirements such as high flame-retardant efficiency, great persistence, low release of heat, smoke, and toxic gases, and more importantly not deteriorating or even enhancing the overall properties of polymers. Under such condition, some advanced flame-retardant methods have been developed in the past years based on “all-in-one” intumescence, nanotechnology, in situ reinforcement, intrinsic char formation, plasma treatment, biomimetic coatings, etc., which have provided potential solutions to the dilemma of conventional flame-retardant methods. This review briefly outlines the development, application, and problems of conventional flame-retardant methods, including bulk-additive, bulk-copolymerization, and surface treatment, and focuses on the raise, development, and potential application of advanced flame-retardant methods. The future development of flame-retardant methods is further discussed. 

Advanced Flame‐Retardant Methods for Polymeric Materials

Thermal oxidative degradation behaviours of flame-retardant copolyesters containing phosphorous linked pendent group/montmorillonite nanocomposites

A kind of synthesized thermotropic liquid crystal copolyester containing phosphorus (PLCP) with high flame retardancy (oxygen index, 70%) has been used to prepare in situ reinforced PET composites that have both good flame retardancy and better mechanical properties than pure PET. The melt dripping behavior of PET was also improved.

Xu-Dong Tang

Papers

A new approach for the simultaneous improvement of fire retardancy, tensile strength and melt dripping of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Properties of phosphorus-containing thermotropic liquid crystal copolyester/poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends