More than a quarter of polymers worldwide have specific fire safety requirements. Industrial experiments have fully demonstrated that compared to traditional formulations, the hypophosphite metal flame retardant system is a very good choice.

Most polymers are relatively easy to ignite and generate a large amount of smoke and heat when ignited, which is why laws and industry regulations around the world require high safety standards in terms of fire prevention measures. Many international standards and technical regulations contain requirements for electronic and electrical equipment and its plastic components. UL standards and IEC provide leading standards. The increasingly strict international laws and regulations are also reflected in the recently revised fire safety regulations for televisions and IT equipment by IEC. The purpose is to ensure the safety of these devices in the presence of external sources of fire. Recent studies have shown that up to 20% of fires in this field are not caused by the equipment itself, but by external sources such as candle droplets. If new instructions are executed, these devices must resist this flame for more than 3 minutes.

Many materials with completely different chemical properties can be used as flame retardant polymers. These materials have the ability to reduce the flammability of the matrix material and typically contain molecules such as bromine, chlorine, phosphorus, nitrogen, or boron as active elements. Mineral flame retardants, such as aluminum hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide, are widely used. The flame retardant effect can be based on the termination of chemical reactions and free radical reactions, as well as physical effects such as dilution and cooling of combustion gases. Due to the potential harm of halogenated flame retardants to the environment, it has always been a controversial topic. Although halogenated flame retardants are generally effective, many organizations and associations are calling for the development of alternatives, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are also significantly increasing their requirements for halogen-free systems. On the other hand, the flame retardant effect of mineral flame retardants is not ideal enough. This flame retardant must be added in large quantities to meet the requirements of fire safety level. This will greatly reduce the mechanical strength of the material, affecting the degree of freedom in design and the weight of polymer components.