Fire and thermal properties of PA 66 resin treated with poly‐N‐aniline‐phenyl phosphamide as a flame retardant

In this study, a halogen‐free phosphorous‐nitrogen synergistic flame retardant, poly‐N‐aniline‐phenyl phosphamide (PDPPD), was synthesized. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and elemental analysis data confirmed the structure of PDPPD. The essential FR PA66 was polymerized with PA66 pre‐polymer and PDPPD pre‐polymer, prepared from PDPPD and adipic acid. The limit oxygen index and UL‐94 test results of FR PA66 reached 28% and V‐0, respectively, when the contents of PDPPD pre‐polymer were 4.5 wt%. The thermo‐gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry results demonstrated that the initial decomposition temperature of FR PA66 was 43 °C lower than that of pristine PA66 from 385 to 342 °C; however, the peak decomposition temperature was 36 °C higher than that of pure PA66 from 437 to 473 °C, when the contents of PDPPD pre‐polymer reached 4.5 wt%. Flame retardant mechanism was studied by cone calorimeter testing and SEM‐EDX, confirming that the heat release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke product (TSP) decreased slightly, and PDPPD followed the gas phase flame retardant mechanism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.