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Journal of Fire Sciences
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Ammonium Pentaborate: an Intumescent Flame Retardant for Thermoplastic Polyurethanes

Ronald E. Myers

BFGoodrich Research and Development Center 9921 Brecksville Road Brecksville, Ohio 44141

E. Douglas Dickens, Jr

BFGoodrich Research and Development Center 9921 Brecksville Road Brecksville, Ohio 44141

Eugene Licursi

BFGoodrich Research and Development Center 9921 Brecksville Road Brecksville, Ohio 44141

Robert E. Evans

BFGoodrich Research and Development Center 9921 Brecksville Road Brecksville, Ohio 44141

Ammonium pentaborate (APB) is shown to be an effective intumescent, char- forming additive for thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU). As little as 5 to 10 parts of APB, added to a flame retarded TPU, provides a 7 to 10-fold improve ment in burn-through resistance. The APB/TPU char is characterized by its glassy, multicellular structure which provides virtually instantaneous thermal protection to heat-sensitive substrates and is able to resist thermo-oxidative degradation.

In contrast to its behavior in polyurethanes, APB is found to be somewhat less effective as an intumescent additive for several non-urethane polymers such as natural rubber, polyester resin, polyamide and polyvinyl chloride. A mechanism is proposed to account for the unique nature of the APB/TPU system. It is suggested that, via a series of chemical reactions, APB redirects the thermal decomposition of the polyurethane thereby producing less volatiles and increased char.

Journal of Fire Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 6, 432-449 (1985)
DOI: 10.1177/073490418500300604
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