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Strategies for simultaneously improving the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of TPU through hydrogen bonding

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Abstract

In this study, two phosphaphenanthrene/triazine bi-group flame retardants with similar structures, tri-(3-phosphaphenanthrene-2-hydroxy-propyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-trione (TGD) and tri-(3-phosphaphenanthrene-propyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-trione (TAD), were added to thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU) to construct flame retardant-TPU composites with and without hydrogen bonding, respectively. This study shows that the hydrogen bonding between flame retardant and TPU is beneficial in improving the mechanical properties and flame retardancy. It was found that the presence of hydroxyl groups in TGD could improve the carbonyl hydrogen bonding index of TPU, resulting in the better mechanical properties of TPU/15TGD than those of TPU/15TAD. The results of the limiting oxygen index (LOI) test and UL 94 vertical burning test show that TPU can pass UL 94 V-0 rating only when TGD is added by 10%, while it can reach UL 94 V-2 rating when 10%TAD is added. The LOI value of the TPU composite with 10% TGD can reach 28.8%, while that of TPU composites with the same TAD content can only reach 25.9%. In the cone calorimeter test, it was found that TPU/15TGD was significantly lower than TPU/15TAD in the peak heat release rate, total heat release and total smoke release, and the final char residue was also higher than that of TPU/15TAD. This is because TGD could react with the decomposition products of TPU and form cross-linking structures, so that more P elements were retained in the residual char in the form of C–P–O and P–O–P. In the gas phase, PO· and PO2· radicals are released, further improving its flame retardancy. Thus, TGD had better flame-retardant effect than TAD.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support was provided by the National Nature Science Foundations (No.22175006, 51973006), the School Level Cultivation Fund of Beijing Technology and Business University for Distinguished and Excellent Young Scholars (BTBUYP2021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China

    Zhe Sun, Yajun Chen, Wei Tang, Yong Qiu & Lijun Qian

  2. China Light Industry Engineering Technology Research Center of Advanced Flame Retardants, Beijing, 100048, China

    Zhe Sun, Yajun Chen, Wei Tang, Yong Qiu & Lijun Qian

  3. Petroleum and Chemical Industry Engineering Laboratory of Non-Halogen Flame Retardants for Polymers, Beijing, 100048, China

    Zhe Sun, Yajun Chen, Wei Tang, Yong Qiu & Lijun Qian

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  1. Zhe Sun
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ZS was responsible for investigation, material preparation and writing—original draft. YC was involved in writing—reviewing and editing, funding acquisition and supervision. WT carried out validation. YQ contributed to supervision. LQ participated in supervision and funding acquisition.

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Correspondence to Yajun Chen.

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Sun, Z., Chen, Y., Tang, W. et al. Strategies for simultaneously improving the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of TPU through hydrogen bonding. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 9843–9855 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12351-6

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