Joint flame‐retardant effect of triazine‐rich and triazine/phosphaphenanthrene compounds on epoxy resin thermoset

To obtain a more efficient flame‐retardant system, the extra‐triazine‐rich compound melamine cyanurate (MCA) was coworked with tri(3‐9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide‐2‐hydroxypropan‐1‐yl)?1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐trione (TGIC–DOPO) in epoxy thermosets; these were composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM). The flame‐retardant properties were investigated by limited oxygen index measurement, vertical burning testing, and cone calorimeter testing. In contrast to the DGEBA/DDM (EP for short) thermoset with a single TGIC–DOPO, a better flame retardancy was obtained with TGIC–DOPO/MCA/EP. The 3% TGIC–DOPO/2% MCA/EP thermoset showed a lower peak heat‐release rate value, a lower effective heat of combustion value, fewer total smoke products, and lower total yields of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in comparison with 3% TGIC–DOPO/EP. The results reveal that MCA and TGIC–DOPO worked jointly in flame‐retardant thermosets. The dilution effect of MCA, the quenching effect of TGIC–DOPO, and their joint action inhibited the combustion intensity and imposed a better flame‐retardant effect in the gas phase. The 3% TGIC–DOPO/2% MCA/EP thermoset also exhibited an increased residue yield, and more compositions with triazine rings were locked in the residues; this implied that MCA/TGIC–DOPO worked jointly in the condensed phase and promoted thermoset charring. The results reveal the better flame‐retardant effect of the MCA/TGIC–DOPO system in the condensed phase. Therefore, the joint incorporation of MCA and TGIC–DOPO into the EP thermosets increased the flame‐retardant effects in both the condensed and gas phases during combustion. This implied that the adjustment to the group ratio in the flame‐retardant group system endowed the EP thermoset with better flame retardancy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43241.