Sulfonated Polymer Flame Retardant with Hydrophobic Coating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current flame retardants for resin compositions, such as those containing sulfonated polymers, face issues with moisture absorption leading to reduced fire retardancy and mechanical properties, especially in high humidity environments, and limited applicability due to compatibility and dispersion problems.
Innovation Solution
A flame retardant with a particulate polymer where a sulfonate group or sulfonate base is bonded to the surface layer, maintaining a moisture content of 3.5 wt % or less, inhibiting moisture absorption and improving dispersion and compatibility within the resin composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sulfonated polymer flame retardant is used to improve fire retardancy, then fire safety is enhanced, but the flame retardant absorbs moisture leading to reduced fire retardancy and mechanical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a hydrophobic coating film on the surface of the sulfonated polymer particles. This thin film acts as a barrier that prevents moisture from penetrating into the polymer structure, thereby maintaining fire retardancy while preventing moisture absorption that would otherwise degrade mechanical properties and fire safety performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining sulfonated polymer particles with a hydrophobic coating material. This composite approach allows the internal polymer to provide fire retardancy while the external coating layer provides moisture resistance, resolving the contradiction between fire safety enhancement and moisture stability.
2Reliability
If the additive amount of flame retardant is increased to improve fire safety, then fire retardancy is enhanced, but mechanical characteristics are easily lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic coating film on the particle surfaces improves interfacial compatibility between the flame retardant and the resin matrix. This enhanced compatibility allows for better dispersion and reduces stress concentration at interfaces, enabling the use of higher flame retardant concentrations without proportionally sacrificing mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties of the flame retardant particles by applying a hydrophobic coating with specific contact angle characteristics. This parameter change in surface energy and wettability improves the interfacial adhesion to the resin, allowing higher filler loads while maintaining mechanical integrity.
3Reliability
If a phosphorus system flame retardant is used to improve fire safety, then fire retardancy is enhanced, but gas is generated in injection-molding leading to lowered impact resistance and heat resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic coating film serves as a barrier that prevents moisture from reaching the phosphorus-containing polymer during processing. By blocking moisture ingress, the coating prevents hydrolysis reactions that would generate gas bubbles during injection molding, thus preserving impact resistance and heat resistance while maintaining fire safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the hydrophobic coating in advance, before the injection molding process, to prevent moisture absorption. This preliminary protective action eliminates the source of gas generation (moisture-induced decomposition) before it can occur during processing, preventing rather than correcting the harmful effect.
4Reliability
If the flame retardant is applied to improve fire safety, then fire retardancy is enhanced, but dispersion is hardly realized due to moisture absorption and blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic coating film on the particle surfaces prevents moisture-induced blocking and agglomeration. This coating maintains particle individuality and improves flow characteristics, enabling uniform dispersion throughout the resin matrix while preserving the fire retardant functionality of the sulfonated polymer.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the surface energy parameters of the flame retardant particles through hydrophobic coating, the patent improves wettability and compatibility with the resin matrix. This parameter modification prevents particle aggregation and promotes uniform distribution, resolving the dispersion problem caused by moisture absorption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances fire retardancy and mechanical strength stability over time, even in high humidity conditions, by preventing particle adhesion and maintaining physical properties with a small additive amount.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of a sulfonate group (—SO3M) and a sulfonate base is bonded to a surface layer section of the polymer
Data Source
AI summary
A flame retardant with which fire retardancy is improved and the fire retardancy is able to be secured stably for a long time is provided. An internal layer 11 containing a polymer and a flame retardant factor layer 12 that is formed outside of the internal layer 11 and that contains a polymer to which at least one of a sulfonate group and a sulfonate base is bonded are included. Thereby, compared to a case that the flame retardant factor layer 12 is not included, moisture is hardly absorbed, and respective particles of the flame retardant are inhibited from being adhered to each other. Accordingly, blocking is inhibited.