Flame retardant epoxy polymers based on all phosphorus-containing components

A phosphorus-containing epoxy resin, bis(3-t-butyl-4-glycidyloxyphenyl-2.4-di-t-butylphenyl)resorcinol diphosphate, was synthesized and subsequently cured with non-phosphorus containing amines, and/or novel phosphorus-containing aromatic or polyoxyalkylene amines. Chemical structures of these materials were characterized with FTIR, NMR, elemental analysis. and amine titration. The introduction of soft -P-O- linkage, polyoxyalkyene. or hard aromatic group into the backbones of the synthesized phosphorus-containing amines provides epoxy polymers with high phosphorus contents and tailored flexibility. Thermal analysis of differential scanning calorimeter and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that these resulted epoxy polymers possess moderate T(g)s and thermal stability. Furthermore, high char yields in TGA analysis and high limited oxygen index values indicate that these phosphorus-containing epoxy polymers possess excellent flame retardant properties. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.