Copper-containing tetra-phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane endows epoxy resin with reinforcements in the thermal stability, flame retardancy and smoke suppression. (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ye, Xinming; Han, Zhiqing; Tian, Panpan; Liu, Tong; Meng, Xiangning; Yuan, Chengke; Wang, Wensheng; Li, Yingchun
• Is Part Of: Composites communications. Volume 37(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: Epoxy resin -- POSS -- Thermal stability -- Flame retardancy
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coco.2022.101459
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2452-2139

Abstract

Abstract: Massive release of black smoke during combustion severely impede epoxy resin (EP) applications in the fields with high fire safety requirements. Herein, Cu was grafted into Si-O-Si cage to obtain copper-containing tetra-phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (Cu-Ph-POSS). The chemical structure of Cu-Ph-POSS was fully characterized. Cu-Ph-POSS was adopted to solve the flame retardant and smoke suppression problems of EP. The incorporation of 2 wt% Cu-Ph-POSS into EP distinctly improved the thermal stability, meanwhile, decreasing the peak of heat release rate (p-HRR), peak of smoke production rate (p-SPR) and peak of CO production rate (p-COP) by 56.8%, 44.4% and 59.4%, respectively. The interior char layers richened in polycyclic aromatic and Si-C compounds, which effectively prohibited the release of heat, smoke and toxic volatiles. Thus, imparting the fabricated EP composites to superior flame retardant and smoke suppression performances. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Copper-containing phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane is synthesized via one-pot method. The incorporation of Cu-Ph-POSS improve the thermal stability of EP composites. Cu-Ph-POSS apparently mitigates fire hazards of the formed EP composites. The flame-retardant mechanism of Cu-Ph-POSS for EP is fully illustrated.