Abstract:A novel phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur containing flame retardant (6-(((1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)amino)(furan-2-yl)methyl)dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine 6-oxide, MBFAP) was synthesized from bio-based furfural, 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole, and 9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO). Flame retardant epoxy resin (EP/MBFAP) was then prepared by blending MBFAP with epoxy resin (EP). The structure of MBFAP was confirmed by FTIR and NMR. The curing behavior, flame retardant performance, thermal stability, combustion characteristics, mechanical properties, and transparency of EP/MBFAP with different MBFAP loadings (mass fraction, based on the total mass of flame-retardant epoxy resin, and the same applies hereafter)were investigated using TGA, DSC, TG-FTIR, DMA, vertical burning test, cone calorimeter, SEM, XPS, Raman, universal testing machine, Charpy impact tester, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Finally, the possible flame retardant mechanism of MBFAP in EP was proposed. The results showed that the addition of MBFAP significantly reduced the maximum decomposition rate of EP/MBFAP and promoted the early decomposition of EP. The EP/MBFAP-4 with 4 wt% MBFAP loading achieved a V-0 rating in the UL-94 standard test (vertical burning) and an oxygen index of 33.5%. Compared to pure EP, the total smoke release, peak heat release rate, and total heat release of EP/MBFAP-4 were reduced by 12.7%, 24.9%, and 19.2%, respectively. Char residue and pyrolysis volatile gas tests indicated that MBFAP played a flame retardant role in both the gas phase and condensed phase. The transmittance of EP/MBFAP-4 (70.75%) was slightly reduced compared to that of pure EP (87.17%). The tensile strength (72.26 MPa), flexural strength (74.19 MPa), and impact strength (42.2 kJ/m2) of EP/MBFAP-4 were increased by 14.97%, 12.51%, and 28.26%, respectively, compared to pure EP, while the elongation at break (5.1%) was slightly decreased compared to pure EP (6.5%).