A Novel Organophosphorus Hybrid with Excellent Thermal Stability: Core Shell Structure, Hybridization Mechanism, and Application in Flame Retarding Semi-Aromatic Polyamide

An organophosphorous hybrid (BM@Al-PPi) with unique core-shell structure was prepared through hybridization reaction between boehmite (BM) as the inorganic substrate and phenylphosphinic acid (PPiA) as the organic modifier. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), solid state P-31 and Al-27 magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and element analysis were used to investigate the chemical structure of the hybrids, where the microrod-like core was confirmed as Al-PPi aggregates generated from the reaction between BM and PPiA, and those irregular nanoparticles in the shell belonged to residual BM. Compared with the traditional dissolution-precipitation process, a novel analogous suspension reaction mode was proposed to explain the hybridization process and the resulting product. Scanning electronic microscopy further proved the core-shell structure of the hybrids. BM exhibited much higher initial decomposition temperature than that of Al-PPi; therefore, the hybrid showed better thermal stability than Al-PPi, and it met the processing temperature of semiaromatic polyamide (HTN, for instance) as an additive-type flame retardant. Limiting oxygen index and cone calorimetric analysis suggested the excellent flame-retardant performance and smoke suppressing activity by adding the resulting hybrid into HTN.