Polymeric pentaerythrityl phosphonates and their use as flame retardants

Abstract

Flame retardant polyolefin compositions containing polymeric pentaerythrityl phosphonates and ammonium polyphosphate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flame retardant composition comprising a polyolefin polymer having about 2 to 4 carbon atoms and an effective flame retardant amount of a mixture of a polymeric pentaerythrityl phosphonate represented by the formula: ##STR13## wherein Y is selected from (a) --CH 2  -- x  or ##STR14## and wherein n is at least 2; x is an integer from 1 to 8; and y is 0 to 4, and ammonium polyphosphate. 
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is polypropylene. 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polymeric pentaerythrityl phosphonate is at least about 25% of the mixture of flame retardants. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claims 1, 2 or 3 further containing about 0.25 to 5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the polyolefin, of a material selected from the group consisting essentially of (1) an alkaline earth metal carbonate, (2) an alkaline earth metal oxide, (3) a Group IV-A metal oxide, (4) titanium dioxide, (5) zinc oxide, and (6) antimony oxide. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claims 1 or 3 further containing about b 0.25 to 5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the polyolefin, of titanium dioxide. .Iadd. 6. A flame retardant composition comprising a polyolefin polymer having about 2 to 4 carbon atoms and an effective flame retardant amount of a polymeric pentaerythrityl phosphonate represented by the formula: ##STR15## wherein Y is selected from (a) --CH 2  -- x  or ##STR16## and wherein n is at least 2; x is an integer from 1 to 8; and y is 0 to 4. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 7.  The composition of claim 6 wherein said polyolefin is polypropylene. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. The composition of claim 6 wherein Y is (CH 2 ) x . .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. The composition of claim 8 wherein x is 2. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. The composition of claim 6 wherein Y is ##STR17## 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 11.  The composition of claim 10 wherein y is O. .Iaddend.