Aromatic phosphorodiamidate curing agent for epoxy resin coating with flame-retarding properties

Two organophosphorus-based diamines containing aromatic moieties has been synthesized and used as a curing and flame retarding agent for epoxy resin coatings. This agent functions not only as a crosslinking materials in the Epon 828 epoxy resin curing process but also as a fire retarding compound to produce thin films or composites upon curing. Phenyl phosphonic ethylene diamine diamide (PPEDD) was synthesized via condensation of phenylphosphonic dichloride (PPDC and ethylenediamine (EDA)). Likewise, phenyl phosphonic p-phenylene diamine diamide (PPPDD) was synthesized via condensation of PPDC and p-phenylenediamine (PDA). Kinetics studies of the curing reaction of the two phosphorodiamidates were carried out in comparison with the corresponding non-phosphorus containing reference crosslinking agents, EDA and PDA. Thermal stability of the cured epoxy were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, flame retardant properties of the materials was investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) measurements. The results show that epoxy resin cured with phosphorodiamidate possesses higher thermostability than that of the non-phosphorus containing counterpart. This is evident by a significantly higher amount of char formed upon burning. More importantly, the LOI of 27 and 31 was observed in the PPEDD-cured epoxy resin and PPPDD-cured epoxy resin compared with those prepared from non-phosphorus curing agents (20 for EDA and 21 for PDA). This was obtained only with approximately 2–3 wt.% of phosphorus content.