Pyrolysis Kinetics of Lignin-Based Flame Retardants Containing MOFs Structure for Epoxy Resins

This study describes the preparation of a lignin-based expandable flame retardant (Lignin-N-DOPO) using grafting melamine and covering 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) using the Mannich reaction. Then, through in situ growth, a metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 (e.g., Cu(3)(BTC)(2), BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate)/lignin-based expandable flame retardant (F-lignin@HKUST-1) was created. Before that, lignin epoxy resin containing phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) components had been created by combining epoxy resin (EP) with F-lignin@HKUST-1. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to examine the thermal characteristics of epoxy resin (EP) composite. The findings indicate that the thermal stability of EP is significantly affected by the presence of F-lignin@HKUST-1. Last but not least, the activation energy (E) of EP/15% F-lignin@HKUST-1 was examined using four different techniques, including the Kissinger-SY iteration method, the Ozawa-SY iteration method, the Lee-Beck approximation-iteration method, and the Gorbatchev approximation-iteration method. It was discovered that the activation energy was significantly higher than that of lignin. Higher activation energy suggests that F-lignin@HKUST-1 pyrolysis requires more energy from the environment, which will be significant about the application of lignin-based flame retardants.