Abstract: | A phosphorus- and nitrogen-containing polyl is prepared by condensing tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride with diethanol amine in aqueous medium. The newly synthesized polyol-bis(hydroxymethyl)-N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)aminomethylphosphine oxide (AMPO) is used in the preparation of rigid polyurethane foams with a various phosphorus content. With the view to comparing their properties, polyurethane foams are also prepared on the basis of the commercially available flame retardant diethyl-N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)aminomethylphosphonate (Fyrol 6). The flammability, thermal stability, and thermoechanical properties of the polyurethane foams obtained are studied. A certain difference in the behavior of the two modified polyurethane foams is observed. The polyurethane foams with AMPO exhibit a slight increase in the resistance to combustion (oxygen index) and a noticeable improvement in the thermal and mechanical properties. These differences probably arise as a result of structural and functional differences between the two types of phosphorus-containing flame retardants. |