Viscoelastic Foams with Enhanced Fire Resistance Using Additive and Reactive Flame Retardants

The influence of non-halogenated additive flame retardants, expandable graphite (EG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP)-as well as a reactive phosphorus-containing polyol, on the flammability, thermal stability, physico-mechanical performance, and morphology of viscoelastic polyurethane foams (VEFs) was investigated. For this purpose, a series of polyurethane foams incorporating both additive and reactive flame retardants was synthesized and analyzed. The incorporation of flame retardants led to a substantial enhancement of fire resistance, as evidenced by an increase in the limiting oxygen index (LOI) to 28-31%, achievement of the UL-94 V₀ flammability rating, and a 92% reduction in peak heat release rate (pHRR) compared to the unmodified reference foam. Alterations in mechanical performance were correlated with structural changes both at the microscopic and molecular level, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).