In this work, a halogen-free intumescent combining phosphorus and nitrogen, flame-retardant 2-((2-hydroxyphenyl)(phenylamino)methyl5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinane 2-oxide (HAPO) was successfully synthesized. It had been synthesized by reaction of 5,5-dimethyl-1,3, 2-dioxphosphinane 2-oxide with Schiff base. Its chemical structure was characterized in detail by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and 31P NMR spectrum. The flame-retardant polyurethanes were prepared with different loadings of HAPO. The thermal properties, flame retardancy and combustion behavior of the pure polyurethane foam thermosets were investigated by a series of measurements involving thermogravimetric analysis, limited oxygen index measurement, UL-94 vertical burning test, and cone calorimeter test. The results of the aforementioned tests indicated that HAPO can significantly improve the flame retardancy as well as smoke inhibition performance of polyurethane foam. Compared with the PU-Neat, the limited oxygen index of flame-retardant polyurethanes (15%) thermoset was increased from 19.5% to 23.8% and its UL-94 reached V-0 rating. In addition, the cone test results showed that the heat release rate, total heat release, rate of smoke release, and total smoke production of flame-retardant polyurethanes (10%) were decreased obvious sly. The apparent morphology of carbon residue was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and results revealed that the modified polyurethane foam can form dense carbon layer after combustion. Thermogravimetric analysis results also indicated that the char amount of flame-retardant polyurethanes was obviously increased compared with PU-Neat. Based on the above analysis, we can draw the conclusions which in the condensed phase, phosphorus-based acids from the degradation of HAPO, this could promote the formation of continuous and dense phosphorus-rich carbon layer. In the gas phase, the flame-retardant mechanism was ascribed to the quenching effect of phosphorus-based radicals and diluting effect by non-flammable gases.

Summary A novel bio‐based P‐N containing intumescent flame retardant melamine starch phytate (PSTM) was prepared via the reaction of phytic acid starch ester with melamine and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of PSTM on thermal properties and flammability of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams were analyzed by TGA, limit oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning tests (UL‐94) and cone calorimeter measurement. The TGA results demonstrated that the thermal stabilities of PU/PSTM foam at high temperature was enhanced with the increasing additive amount of PSTM. The results showed that PU foam with 30 php PSTM (PU/PSTM‐30%) observed an LOI value of 25.9 and a UL‐94 rating of V‐0. Cone calorimetry data showed that peak heat release rate, total heat release and smoke production rate of PU/PSTM‐30% were distinctly lower than that of pure PU. Further experimental results demonstrated that PSTM promotes well charring of PU which could protect the foam from combustion. This work developed a novel bio‐based intumescent flame retardant by suing phytic acid and starch as the acid source and carbon source, respectively, which is of great significance to the preparation of environmental‐friendly flame retardants.