In March 2026, flame retardants, as key compounds to improve the fire safety of materials, have drawn industry attention to their classification, mechanism and application. Divided into additive and reactive types, the latter combines with polymers through chemical bonding for more durable flame retardant effect. Their core function is to delay flashover and gain escape time—British furniture flame retardant regulations alone have saved over a thousand lives. The flame retardant mechanism includes physical and chemical effects. Halogen-based flame retardants dominate in PCB materials, with brominated ones most widely used for high efficiency, and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) as the mainstream choice; halogen-free flame retardation mainly relies on phosphorus-based compound DOPO and aluminum hydroxide. The IEC sets clear content limits for halogen-free materials. Toxicological studies have confirmed that flame retardants such as TBBPA pose no significant harm to humans after combining with polymers. They have completed EU REACH registration and are not included in the RoHS restricted list. At present, halogen-based flame retardants account for over 80% of the global PCB market. UL has also classified FR-4 materials into brominated and halogen-free systems, and the industry is promoting technological upgrading while balancing performance and environmental protection.
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