Disulfur triazole phosphorous (DSTP) as fire retardants and battery materials

This invention describes the development of a novel heteroatom-containing fire retardant (HFR) that is environmentally friendly and effective and battery materials. 

Invention 

A Synthetic route to access DSTP. The route has been designed in a way that allows for the installation of the important phosphorous, triazole, and disulfide functional groups and is process chemistry friendly. The route avoids the use of column chromatography, and the crystalline intermediates are purified by simple washing or recrystallization. A process chemistry-friendly synthetic route means that large quantities of the material can be easily made for testing and commercialization purposes. Preliminary results have been promising and DSTP is one step away from completion.

Advantages/benefits 

• Invention of DSTP will address limitations that fire retardants are toxic and not effective. 
• DTSP is organophosphorus-based and halogen-free. 
• Three functional groups will have a strong synergistic effect to combat fire through the passivation of heat transfer, flame poisoning, and oxygen removal.

Applications:

• To serve as an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to halogenated fire retardants.
• Developed a process chemistry-friendly synthetic route which allows for the facile synthesis of DSTP in large quantities.

Market Opportunity

Forest fires and house fires cost 1.1 billion dollars in damage every year. Halogenated fire retardants were used to combat this problem; however, they have been shown to be toxic to humans and biological systems. Now, there has recently been a push in legislation to ban all halogenated fire retardants. Consequently, much research efforts have been devoted to developing effective, safe, and environmentally friendly fire-retardant materials.

Researchers have shifted their focus toward synthesizing novel organophosphorus-based fire retardants. Their mechanism of action is the generation of phosphorous-centered radicals in the gas phase that quench the fire through flame poisoning. Degradation of the phosphorus-based fire-retardant forms a char layer which prevents heat transfer and slows the growth of the fire. The triazole functional group has also shown to be beneficial in fire retardant materials by being non-toxic in biological systems, improving thermal stability, and release of N2 gas that prevents smoke plumes and removes the oxygen that is required to sustain the fire. 

There is a need for effective and environmentally friendly fire-retardant small molecules to replace conventional fire-retardant materials. The DSTP invention addresses this dire need. In addition, DSTP will be applied for the battery materials such as cathode materials, electrolyte additives, electrolytes, binders, and active materials.