The flame-retardant material - 1. Studies on thermal characteristics and flame retardance behavior of phosphorus-containing copolymer of methyl methacrylate with 2-methacryloxyethyl phenyl phosphate

2-Methacryloxyethyl phenyl phosphate/methyl methacrylate (MEPP/MMA) copolymers were synthesized by the bulk polymerization of MMA in the presence of various amounts of MEPP. MEPP was prepared by the esterification of phenyl dichlorophosphate with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, followed by hydrolysis. Structural and compositional details of MEPP were obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometer, as well as by elemental analysis. The monomer reactivity ratios of MEPP/MMA system were calculated by the methods of Fineman-Ross, Kelen-Tüdös, and Joshi-Joshi. The thermal degradation temperature of the MEPP/MMA copolymers was considerably enhanced by only a slight decrease in Tg, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis experiments. The fire-retardant properties of MEPP/MMA copolymers were also studied by LOI and UL-94 tests, indicating that an MEPP/MMA copolymer with only 2.17 wt% phosphorus can effectively inhibit burning.