Preparation and characterization of a water resistance flame retardant and its enhancement on charring–forming for polycarbonate

Hexakis(4-nitrophenoxy) cyclotriphosphazene (HNTP) was synthesized and was added into polycarbonate (PC) functioned as intumescent flame retardant and charring agent. The chemical structure of HNTP was confirmed by hydrogen and phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR, 31P-NMR), energy-dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Flame retardancy and charring–forming behaviors of HNTP- and PC-based composites were extensively investigated with the limiting oxygen index, UL-94 vertical burning test, microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) and thermogravimetric analysis. The water resistance of PC-based composites was studied by stationary water contact angle measurements. Furthermore, TG/FTIR was used to research their gaseous products and their releasing intensity during the decomposition. The morphology and chemical structure of residual char were used to study scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses and FTIR spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of samples were compared by tensile and impact tests.