Bromated flame retardants

In 1978 the poly-chlorobifenyls (PCBs) flame-retardants were overreached by the bromated flame-retardants as the most important flame-retardants. They are used in the protection of electronic apparatuses, clothing and furniture. They have the advantage that the start of a fire is retarded and that they have an inhibition effect on the extension of fire. 

Bromated flame retardants account for about 23 % of the volume, but for about 39 % of the expenditure in 2000. 

Bromine (from the Greek bromos for stench ) has found applications in flue gas desulfurization [106], in the design for a large-scale electrical power storage facility [107], in many flame retardants, for fire extinguishers, and in pharmaceuticals. Electrobromination processes have been employed directly and indirectly, and bromates are produced [108] and detected [109] electrochemically. Perbro-mates when compared to perchlorates and periodates are chemically very unstable. A summary of redox states, standard potentials in acidic aqueous media, and typical applications is shown in Scheme 3. 

Flame retardants are required for high-performance thermoplastic resins because of the use of the resins in electrical and high-temperature applications. Numerous chemicals are used as flame retardants. Chlorine-and bromine-containing aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and aromatic compounds are the most widely used. Others are antimony trioxide, aluminum hydrate and chlor-paraffins. A more fire-resistant epoxy resin can be produced by bromating bisphenol A in epoxy resins to tetrabromobisphenol A. 

---