Process for preparing flame retardant compositions

1. A process for preparing a flame retardant composition, said process comprising:

adding to a container at least one flame retardant salt, a nitrogen-containing compound, and optionally water; and

mixing the contents of the container to give a dispersed mixture or dissolved solution comprising the flame retardant composition;

wherein the at least one flame retardant salt comprises an ammonium salt of phosphoric acid; wherein the ammonium salt of phosphoric acid comprises water soluble ammonium polyphosphate (APP); wherein the water soluble ammonium polyphosphate has a total nitrogen as N from about 5 to about 15 weight percent, and a total phosphorus as P 2 O 5 from about 30 to about 40 weight percent, based on the total weight of the ammonium polyphosphate (APP).

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the nitrogen-containing compound comprises urea.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the ammonium salt of phosphoric acid further comprises ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (MAP) and di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP).

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one flame retardant salt further comprises an ammonium salt of bromine; and the nitrogen-containing compound comprises urea.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the ammonium salt of bromine comprises ammonium bromide.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the water soluble ammonium polyphosphate has a density from about 1.75 to about 1.90 g/cm 3 , a water solubility of greater than about 60 g/100 ml, and a pH from about 6.5 to about 8.5.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition comprises from about 10 to about 90 weight percent of the at least one flame retardant salt, and from about 10 to about 60 weight percent of the at least one nitrogen-containing compound; wherein the entirety of the components is 100 weight percent.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition is sprayed onto a substrate material, impregnated into a substrate material, a substrate material is dipped into the flame retardant composition, or the flame retardant is added to a fiber yarn.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate material is selected from the group consisting of electronics or electrical devices, building or construction materials, furnishings, clothing, and transportation.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate material is at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polymers, rubbers, paper pulps, textiles, foams, metals, lumber, concrete, stone, paints, adhesives, and nano particles.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic polymer or a thermoset polymer; wherein the thermoplastic polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of: high impact polystyrene, polyphenylene ethers, polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyolefins, polyethers, and blends or polyblends of the type represented by ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) or PC/ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), polyamide, polyester, polyarylates, polymethacrylates, or ABS; and wherein the thermoset polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of: formaldehyde, epoxy, melamine, or phenolic resin polymers, and polyurethanes.

12. The process of claim 8 wherein the substrate material is present in an amount from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent, and the flame retardant composition is present in an amount from about 5 weight percent to about 95 weight percent, wherein the entirety of the components is 100 weight percent.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a pigment, a dye, a plasticizer, an antioxidant, a surfactant, a dispersant, a detergent, a wetting agent, an emulsifier, an adsorbent, a binder, a suppressant, a thixotropic agent, a leveling assistant, a basic co-stabilizer, a metal passivator, a metal oxide, an organophosphorus compound, a corrosion inhibitor, a foaming agent, a viscosity modifier, and a light stabilizer.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of alum (hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate), sodium stannate, sodium or potassium silicate (liquid glass), sodium borate (borax), carboxymethyl cellulose, starch-like compound, organophosphorus nitrogen compound, glycerin or glycerol, isocyanate, polyurethane, organosilicone, pentaerythitol, and 4A natural zeolite.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition further comprises a solvent.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition is a powder, solution, dispersion, suspension, or melt.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein the flame retardant composition comprises at least one flame retardant salt, optionally a nitrogen-containing compound, and optionally water, wherein the at least one flame retardant salt comprises water soluble ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and wherein the water soluble ammonium polyphosphate (APP) has a density from about 1.75 to about 1.90 g/cm 3 , a water solubility of greater than about 60 g/100 ml, a pH from about 6.5 to about 8.5, and a total nitrogen as N from about 5 to about 15 weight percent, and a total phosphorus as P 2 O 5 from about 30 to about 40 weight percent, based on the total weight of the ammonium polyphosphate (APP).

18. An intumescent process for forming an insulating protective layer on a substrate, said process comprising:

(a) providing a flame retardant composition comprising at least one flame retardant salt, a nitrogen-containing compound, and optionally water, in which the at least one flame retardant salt comprises an ammonium salt of phosphoric acid, and the nitrogen-containing compound comprises urea;

(b) heating the ammonium salt of phosphoric acid to produce an inorganic acid;

(c) carbonizing the inorganic acid with a polyalcohol present in the substrate;

(d) hydrolyzing the urea to produce ammonia and reacting the ammonia to produce nitrogen gas;

(e) foaming the mixture of the carbonized inorganic acid and the nitrogen gas; and

(f) solidifying the foam through one or more cross linking reactions to form the insulating protective layer on the substrate.