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Epoxy resins

Breakthrough in Sustainable Materials: Quercetin-inspired Flame Retardant for Epoxy Resins

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at Guilin University of Technology have made a significant discovery in the field of sustainable materials and technology. A study published in the journal Sustainable Materials and Technologies has presented a new flame retardant, inspired by the bio-derived compound quercetin, which can enhance fire safety in epoxy resins while maintaining their mechanical properties and transparency. The research has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials.

Key Takeaways:

  • The quercetin-inspired flame retardant (DQ) was prepared by reacting quercetin with 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) and was found to be effective in improving the flame retardancy of epoxy resins.
  • At a loading of just 3 wt%, the epoxy composite (EDQ-3) passed V-0 grade during vertical combustion test, demonstrating superior flame retardancy.
  • The incorporation of a minimal 1 wt% of DQ into the epoxy matrix resulted in significant toughening effects (as evidenced by a 68.9% improvement in impact strength) compared to the pure epoxy.
  • The EDQ composites maintained high transparency and excellent dielectric properties.
  • The study concluded that this finding provides innovative new possibilities in designing of sustainable, high-performance epoxy resins that balance enhanced fire safety with good mechanical properties.
  • The researchers obtained funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials.

Statistics:

  • 11.4 degrees C increase in the glass transition temperature (Tg) was observed in EDQ-3 composite, indicating improved thermal stability.
  • 37.4% reduction in the peak heat release rate (PkHRR) and 28.6% reduction in the smoke production rate (SPR) were observed in EDQ-3 composite.
  • The study showed that 68.9% improvement in impact strength was achieved with the incorporation of 1 wt% of DQ into the epoxy matrix.
  • The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 29.8% was observed for the EDQ-3 composite, indicating enhanced flame retardancy.

Sources:

  • Quercetin-inspired Flame Retardant for Transparent and Mechanically Robust Epoxy Resins With Enhanced Fire Safety. Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 2025;45.
  • National Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
  • Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials
  • Guilin University of Technology, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab New Proc Technol Nonferrous Met & Mat, Guilin 541004, People's Republic of China
  • Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands

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