A survey of recent publications on polymers employing reactive, halogen-free flame-retardant functionalities

Modern society relies heavily on producing commercial and industrial plastics to improve the quality and quantity of our lives. However, increased fire risks threaten commercial operations and the potential impact of high-performance electronic and transportation technologies that utilize polymeric materials. Despite significant monitoring and reduction of commonly used halogenated flame retardants, their worldwide usage still poses environmental hazards. Many non-halogenated flame-retardant compounds are viable additives for synthetic polymers; however, their incorporation often results in reduced composite homogeneity and mechanical strength. This review focuses on reactive flame retardants and the effect of polymer structure on inherent flame retardance in recent studies. The synthesis and characterization of polymeric systems (e.g. polyurethanes, polyamides, polyimides, polyesters and epoxy resins) are discussed in terms of structure–flame-retardant performance using a complement of analytical tools, including thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimetry, limiting oxygen index and UL 94 testing. These commercially important polymeric systems represent a broad compositional space for future adaptation and the discovery of increasingly modular polymeric materials with, while also contributing to the fundamental understanding of unique combinations of gas- and condensed-phase mechanisms of flame retardance. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.