Low Heat Release and Low Smoke Reinforcing Fiber/Epoxy Composites
A composite material comprising reinforcing fiber and an adhesive composition comprising an epoxy resin, optionally a resin curing agent, a curing catalyst and a reactive phosphonate flame retardant and method of preparation thereof.
1 . A composite material comprising reinforcing fiber and an adhesive composition comprising an epoxy resin; optionally, a resin curing agent, a curing catalyst and a reactive phosphonate flame retardant.
2 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing fiber comprises from about 50% to about 90%, by weight of the total weight of the composite.
3 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the adhesive composition comprises from about 20% to about 60%, by weight of the total weight of the composite.
4 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the epoxy resin comprises from about 40% to about 80%, by weight of the total weight of the adhesive composition.
5 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the reactive phosphonate flame retardant comprises from 5% to 60%, by weight of the total weight of the adhesive composition.
6 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the curing catalyst is present from 0.05% to 1.0% by weight of the total weight of the adhesive composition.
7 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the optional resin curing agent comprises from 5% to about 10%, by weight of the total weight of the adhesive composition.
8 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing fiber is selected from the group consisting of graphite, glass and wollastonite.
9 . The composite material of claim 1 wherein the reactive phosphonate flame retardant is an oligomeric phosphonate comprising the repeating unit (—OP(O)(R)—O-Arylene-) n wherein “n” is from about 2 to about 30.
10 . The composite material of claim 8 wherein the reinforcing fiber is graphite.
11 . The composite material of claim 9 wherein the reactive phosphonate flame retardant is poly(m-phenylene methylphosphonate).
12 . A method of preparing a composite material, said method comprising impregnating reinforcing fiber with an adhesive composition comprising an epoxy resin, optionally, a resin curing agent, a curing catalyst and a reactive phosphonate flame retardant.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the reinforcing fiber is selected from the group consisting of graphite, glass and wollastonite.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the reactive phosphonate flame retardant is an oligomeric phosphonate comprising the repeating unit (—OP(O)(R)—O-Arylene-) n wherein “n” is from about 2 to about 30.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the reactive phosphonate flame retardant is poly(m-phenylene methylphosphonate).