Phosphorus-Containing Thermoplastic Poly(Ether Ester) Elastomers Showing Intrinsic Flame Retardancy

A series of poly(ether ester) thermoplastic elastomers (TPEEs) are synthesized by a one-pot, two-step method: (1) transesterification of dimethyl-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate with 1,4-butanediol (BDO) as chain extender (CE), followed by (2) low-pressure melt polycondensation with poly(tetramethylene ether glycol) as a soft segment in the presence of Ti(OBu)(4) as a catalyst. In order to design phosphorous-containing flame-retardant TPEEs, hydroxyl-terminated isobutylbis(hydroxypropyl)phosphine oxide (IHPO) is integrated into the polymer backbone as the second CE, modulating the IHPO content up to 30% with respect to BDO. The resultant TPEEs are systematically characterized using various spectral, thermal, and mechanical analyses. An increase in phosphorus content in the polymer backbone enhances the flame retardancy of TPEE, adapting them as promising halogen-free self-extinguishing thermoplastic elastomers without losing their elastomeric properties. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45478.