Sulfonated polyolefin-based flame retardant material

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a flame retardant composition comprising sulfonated polyolefin and a SO 2 -scavenging material and/or a flame retardant material that is not a sulfonated polyolefin. Also disclosed is a flame-resistant composite comprising a host material in which is incorporated sulfonated polyolefin as a flame retardant composition. Further disclosed are methods for producing the flame retardant composition and flame-resistant composites.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flame retardant composition comprising sulfonated polyolefin and a SO 2 -scavenging material. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is incorporated within the sulfonated polyolefin. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said sulfonated polyolefin is in the form of an object which has on its surface a layer of said SO 2 -scavenging material. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is comprised of a metal oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said metal oxide is a transition metal oxide. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said transition metal oxide is zinc oxide. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said metal oxide is an alkaline earth oxide. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is comprised of ammonium or phosphonium groups serving as countercations to sulfonate groups residing on or in the sulfonated polyolefin. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said flame retardant composition is further comprised of a flame retardant material that is not a sulfonated polyolefin. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein said flame retardant material is comprised of a silicate-containing material. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein said silicate-containing material is a clay. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polyolefin is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant composition exhibits an elongation at break of at least 5%. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant composition exhibits an elongation at break of at least 15%. 
     
     
         15 . A flame-resistant composite comprised of a host material requiring flame resistance in which is incorporated sulfonated polyolefin as a flame retardant composition. 
     
     
         16 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 15 , wherein said flame-resistant composite further comprises a SO 2 -scavenging material incorporated therein. 
     
     
         17 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 16 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is comprised of a metal oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 15 , wherein said flame retardant composition further comprises a flame retardant material incorporated therein, wherein said flame retardant material is not a sulfonated polyolefin. 
     
     
         19 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 18 , wherein said flame retardant material is comprised of a silicate-containing material. 
     
     
         20 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 15 , wherein said host material requiring flame resistance is a fabric. 
     
     
         21 . The flame-resistant composite of  claim 15 , wherein said host material requiring flame resistance is a plastic. 
     
     
         22 . A method for producing a flame retardant composition, the method comprising combining sulfonated polyolefin with a material selected from a SO 2 -scavenging material, a flame retardant material that is not a sulfonated polyolefin, and combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is incorporated into said sulfonated polyolefin. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is coated onto said sulfonated polyolefin fiber. said sulfonated polyolefin is in the form of an object which has on its surface a layer of said SO 2 -scavenging material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising producing the sulfonated polyolefin fiber by sulfonating a polyolefin fiber. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is comprised of a metal oxide. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging composition is comprised of ammonium or phosphonium groups serving as countercations to sulfonate groups residing on the surface of the sulfonated polyolefin fiber. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said flame retardant material is comprised of a silicate-containing material. 
     
     
         29 . A method for forming a flame-resistant composite, the method comprising forming a composite of a sulfonated polyolefin and a host material in need of flame resistance. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising incorporating a SO 2 -scavenging material into said flame-resistant composite. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said SO 2 -scavenging material is comprised of a metal oxide. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising incorporating a flame retardant material that is not a sulfonated polyolefin into said flame-resistant composite. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said flame retardant material is comprised of a silicate-containing material. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said flame-resistant composite is a flame-resistant textile, and said flame-resistant textile is formed by a process comprising weaving or bonding a flame retardant composition comprising sulfonated polyolefin fiber having an elongation at break of at least 10% with itself and/or other fibers of a textile.