Blends of (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate esters with phosphorus-containing flame retardants for polyurethane foams

Abstract

Flame retardant flexible polyurethane foam compositions, methods of flame retarding flexible polyurethane foam compositions, articles made therefrom and flame retardants that comprise blends of (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and phosphorus-containing flame retardant having at least about 5 wt. % phosphorus additives. The combined weight of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises about 5 to about 40% by weight of the flexible polyurethane foam compositions or reaction mixtures. The ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 50:50 percent by weight.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A flame retardant polyurethane composition comprising: 
 an (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester;    a phosphorus-containing flame retardant having at least about 5 wt. % phosphorus and comprising at least one of a monomeric phosphorus-containing compound, a dimeric phosphorus-containing compound or a mixture thereof; and    a flexible polyurethane foam reaction mixture including at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate.    
     
     
         2 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 1 , wherein the combined weight of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises about 5 to about 40% by weight of the polyol.  
     
     
         3 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 50:50 percent by weight.  
     
     
         4 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 3 , wherein the ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 80:20 percent by weight.  
     
     
         5 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 1 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester includes one or more compounds having the general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where each R is independently either a linear or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and n is an integer of 0, 1 or 2.  
       
     
     
         6 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 5 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises at least one of tricresyl phosphate, butylated triphenyl phosphate, isopropylated triphenyl phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         7 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 6 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises a mixed isopropylated triphenyl phosphate containing about 8.6% phosphorus and also having about 35 wt. % of non-alkylated triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         8 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of a phosphate, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, a phosphite and a phosphine oxide.  
     
     
         9 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 8 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of triethyl phosphate, tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, dimethylmethyl phosphonate, dimethylpropyl phosphonate and isodecyl diphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         10 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 8 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), tri-n-butyl phosphate and tri-iso-butyl phosphate.  
     
     
         11 . A flame retardant polyurethane composition comprising: 
 a flexible polyurethane foam reaction mixture including at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate; and    a flame retardant additive comprising an (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester; and a phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprising at least one of a monomeric phosphorus-containing compound, a dimeric phosphorus-containing compound or a mixture thereof, wherein the ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 80:20 percent by weight.    
     
     
         12 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 11  wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant includes at least about 5 wt. % phosphorus.  
     
     
         13 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 11 , wherein the combined weight of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises about 5 to about 40% by weight of the polyol.  
     
     
         14 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 11 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester includes one or more compounds having the general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where each R is independently either a linear or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and n is an integer of 0, 1 or 2.  
       
     
     
         15 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 14 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises at least one of tricresyl phosphate, butylated triphenyl phosphate, isopropylated triphenyl phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         16 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 15 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises a mixed isopropylated triphenyl phosphate containing about 8.6% phosphorus and also having about 35 wt. % of non-alkylated triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         17 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 11 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of a phosphate, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, a phosphite and a phosphine oxide.  
     
     
         18 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 17 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of triethyl phosphate, tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, dimethylmethyl phosphonate, dimethylpropyl phosphonate and isodecyl diphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         19 . The flame retardant polyurethane composition of  claim 17 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), tri-n-butyl phosphate and tri-iso-butyl phosphate.  
     
     
         20 . A flame retardant additive for use in flame retarding a flexible polyurethane foam reaction mixture including at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate, the flame retardant additive comprising: 
 an (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester; and    a phosphorus-containing flame retardant having at least about 5 wt. % phosphorus and including at least one monomeric phosphorus-containing compound or dimeric phosphorus-containing compound, wherein the combined weight of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises about 5 to about 40% by weight of the polyol.    
     
     
         21 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 20 , wherein the ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 80:20 percent by weight.  
     
     
         22 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 20 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester has the general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where each R is independently either a linear or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and n is an integer of 0, 1 or 2.  
       
     
     
         23 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 22 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises at least one of tricresyl phosphate, butylated triphenyl phosphate, isopropylated triphenyl phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         24 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 23 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises a mixed isopropylated triphenyl phosphate containing about 8.6% phosphorus and also having about 35 wt. % of non-alkylated triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         25 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 20 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of a phosphate, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, a phosphite and a phosphine oxide.  
     
     
         26 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 25 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of triethyl phosphate, tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, dimethylmethyl phosphonate, dimethylpropyl phosphonate and isodecyl diphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         27 . The flame retardant additive of  claim 25 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), tri-n-butyl phosphate and tri-iso-butyl phosphate.  
     
     
         28 . A method of making flame retarded flexible polyurethane compositions comprising the step of: 
 adding to a flexible polyurethane foam reaction mixture about 5 to about 40% by weight of polyol of a flame retardant additive comprising: an (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester; and a phosphorus-containing flame retardant having at least about 5 wt. % phosphorus and including at least one monomeric phosphorus-containing compound or dimeric phosphorus-containing compound.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of pre-combining the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester and the phosphorus-containing flame retardant prior to the step of adding the flame retardant additive to the flexible polyurethane foam reaction mixture.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the ratio of the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester to the phosphorus-containing flame retardant is from about 95:5 to about 80:20 percent by weight.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester has the general formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where each R is independently either a linear or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and n is an integer of 0, 1 or 2.  
       
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises at least one of tricresyl phosphate, butylated triphenyl phosphate, isopropylated triphenyl phosphate, and triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the (alkyl substituted) triaryl phosphate ester comprises a mixed isopropylated triphenyl phosphate containing about 8.6% phosphorus and also having about 35 wt. % of non-alkylated triphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of a phosphates, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, a phosphite and a phosphine oxide.  
     
     
         35 . The method  claim 34 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of triethyl phosphate, tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, dimethylmethyl phosphonate, dimethylpropyl phosphonate and isodecyl diphenyl phosphate.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the phosphorus-containing flame retardant comprises at least one of resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), tri-n-butyl phosphate and tri-iso-butyl phosphate.