Fire retardant epoxy blends and composites using boron compounds

Epoxy resins are widely used for a variety of adhesive and coating applications. High flammability of the epoxy resins limit its usage and causes high risk of fire. This research focuses on improving the fire retardancy of epoxy resin using boron based compounds. A boric acid-glycerol complex and boron nitride nano-particle were used as fire-retardant additives in the epoxy system. The results show excellent improvement in fire retardancy of the epoxy resin. Majority of the fire-retardant additives are harmful to the environment, however the boron compounds are less destructive and impart better fire retardancy.