A flame-retardant-free and thermo-cross-linkable copolyester: Flame-retardant and anti-dripping mode of action

Flame-retardant-free and thermo-cross-linkable copolyesters have been synthesized, and their flame retardation and anti-dripping behavior as a consequence of cross-linking during combustion were investigated in detail. TG-DSC simultaneous thermal analysis, rheological analysis, and TGA established the extent and rate of the cross-linking reaction. The extent of cross-linking depends on the content of cross-linkable monomer, PEPE, and the higher the extent of the cross-linking, the better the flame retardance and anti-dripping performance of copolyesters. The large melt viscosity caused by cross-linked networks at high temperature played the most important role in anti-dripping of copolyesters. TG-FTIR results confirmed that the flame-retardant activity of copolyesters mainly took effect in the condensed phase, and XPS results indicated that the carbonization process was aromatization-dominant. SEM and Raman analysis suggested that the char layers were constituted mainly of polyaromatic species with small and uniform microstructures at the surface. Consequently, both the large melt viscosity and the formation of an especially compact char with fine microstructure resulting from cross-linking were considered as the key to the flame retardance and anti-dripping performance of the polymer when subjected to the flame.