Abstract:
Hindered amine compounds containing a group of the formula where G and G are independently alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or are together pentamethylene, Z and Z are each methyl, or Z and Z together form a linking moiety which may additionally be substituted by an ester, ether, amide, amino, carboxy or urethane group, and E is alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aralkoxy, aryloxy, âOâCOâOZ , âOâSi(Z ) , âOâPO(OZ ) or âOâCH âOZ where Z , Z , Z and Z are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an aliphatic, araliphatic and aromatic moiety, when added to a wide variety of polymeric substrates, particularly polyolefins and styrenic polymers, surprisingly bestow flame retardant properties to such compositions. Polyolefins, especially polypropylene, can be made flame retardant by the incorporation therein of a synergistic mixture of a selected hindered amine substituted by an alkoxy, cycloalkoxy or hydroxyalkoxy moiety and a selected organic or inorganic brominated and/or phosphorus containing flame retardant, such as ammonium polyphosphate or decabromodiphenyl oxide wherein the amount of organic or inorganic flame retardant required to achieve an acceptable level of flame retardancy is significantly reduced compared to that needed when the hindered amine is not present.