Design synthesis of melamine amino tris-methylene phosphonate modified halloysite nanotubes for epoxy resin with simultaneously improved flame retardancy, dielectric properties and mechanical performance

The development of epoxy resin (EP) with simultaneous enhancements in flame retardancy, mechanical performance, and low dielectric properties represents a significant and complex challenge. In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were modified with melamine amino tris-methylene phosphonate (MA) to produce MA-modified HNTs (HMA), which were then integrated into EP to form EP/HMA composites. The incorporation of 1 wt% HMA significantly enhanced the flame retardancy (limit oxygen index up to 29.7%, UL-94 V-0 rating), reduced peak heat release rate by 23.4%, decreased total heat release by 11.9%, reduced total smoke production by 18.4%, and improved mechanical properties (tensile strength by 17.0%, impact strength by 61.0%) compared to pure EP. Additionally, EP/HMA showed a low dielectric constant (3.16) and a dielectric loss (0.019) at 1 GHz. This research presents a versatile strategy for creating multifunctional EP composites with high potential for applications in microelectronics, electronic packaging, and other relevant fields.