European Flame Retardants Association

FLAME RETARDANT FACT SHEET

Other Phosphorus Flame Retardants

SUMMARY PROFILE
Phophorus based flame retardants are generally derived from the generic molecular structures shown below. Principal chemical formulae:

Phosphate Ester

Phosphonate

Phosphinate

R1, R2, R3 are organic substituents, they can be different or the same

PHOSPHONATES
There is a range of phosphonates which are used mainly in applications such as rigid polyurethane foam. These are products with water like viscosities. The products are nonreactive. They are manufactured by re-arrangement of the corresponding phosphites. The most common are: Dimethyl methyl phosphonate Diethyl ethyl phosphonate Dimethyl propyl phosphonate Diethyl N,N bis(2-hydroxyethyl) amino methyl phosphonate CAS No. 765-79-6 CAS No. 765-79-6 CAS No. 18755-43-6 CAS No. 2781-11-5

This product is used exclusively in rigid polyurethane foam. It is reactive and becomes part of the polyurethane polymer during processing.

Other Phosphorus FRs contd Phosphonic acid, methyl(5-methyl-2-methyl1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-5-y) ester,P,P-dioxide Phosphonic acid, methyl(5-methyl-2-methyl1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-5-yl) methyl,methyl ester, P-oxide CAS No. 42595-45-9 CAS No. 41203-81-0

These products are cyclic phosphonate esters and are sold as a mixture which is used as a durable flame retardant for polyester fabrics. It is also used in textile coating applications. Note: Some phosphonates are controlled by the UN as dual-purpose chemicals. This means that they are considered as potential precursors to chemical weapons manufacture and consequently there is a control placed on their sale and distribution. The regulation does not consider the practicality or feasibility of the synthesis, it is applied generally to any phosphonate where there is a methyl, ethyl or propyl group attached directly to a phosphorus atom. This classification has no relevance to the toxicity profile of the flame retardant itself.

OTHER PHOSPHATES
Triethyl Phosphate CAS No. 78-40-4 This product is used in combination with other flame retardants in polyurethane foam formulations, especially in high-viscosity polyol formulations, as well as in highly filled unsaturated polyester resins to lower the overall viscosity of the formulations. Other products such as tributyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate and tributoxyethyl phosphate are commercially available but are not used as flame retardants. These products have diverse applications and details can be obtained form the manufacturers.

MANUFACTURERS / REFERENCES
For additional information individual companies can be contacted for further information Albemarle http://www.albemarle.com Budenheim http://www.budenheim.es/ Ciba http://www.cibasc.com Clariant www.exolit.com Ferro http://www.ferro.com Chemtura http://www.chemtura.com Italmatch Chemicals http://www.italmatch.it Lanxess Deutschland http://www.lanxess.com Rhodia http://rhodia-ppd.com Supresta http://www.supresta.com/

Disclaimer: This information was compiled with great care and scrutiny it reflects the current knowledge about this product at the time of completion of this record. This fact sheet is meant to provide users of the product and all interested parties information on health, environmental and regulatory issues. However, this is no replacement for a safety data sheet or any other legally required document. Furthermore, these data do not represent a specification of any commercial product.