Abstract
The thermal properties of epoxy resins containing flame retardants based on silicon, phosphorus, and melamine, were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The weight loss behaviour (including the weight loss temperatures, weight loss rates, and the activation energy for each weight loss stage) and the thermal stability (including the initial decomposition temperature and integral procedure decomposition temperature) were characterized. Phosphorus groups lowered the epoxy resins' initial decomposition temperature, and silicon and melamine groups did not. The integral procedure decomposition temperatures of the epoxy resins were significantly increased with simultaneous incorporation of phosphorus and silicon, owing to the formation of highly anti-oxidant and thermally stable char. Incorporating melamine groups into the silicon-containing epoxy resins did not seriously alter the resins' thermal stability and degradation characteristics. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.