Effect of Bio-Based Flame Retardants in Sustainable Epoxy Systems for the Development of Composite Materials

The composite materials industry is increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives to mitigate the environmental impact of end-of-life materials. As a result, many sectors are transitioning toward bio-based or partially bio-based matrices (e.g., epoxy resins) to preserve material properties while imp...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ares Elejoste, Patricia, Seoane Rivero, Rubén, Gandarias Goikoetxea, Iñaki, Ballestero, Jesús, Alonso Amondarain, Ane Libe
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad del País Vasco
Repositorio:Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación
OAI Identifier:oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/78383
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10810/78383
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:bio-based epoxy
bio-based flame retardants
sustainability
composites
transport sector
Descripción
Sumario:The composite materials industry is increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives to mitigate the environmental impact of end-of-life materials. As a result, many sectors are transitioning toward bio-based or partially bio-based matrices (e.g., epoxy resins) to preserve material properties while improving sustainability. The transportation sector, in particular, demands materials that meet stringent mechanical and fire resistance standards. In this study, various epoxy systems with bio-based and/or recyclable content were investigated, along with renewable additives designed to enhance fire resistance through their functional groups and chemical structure. The research focused on developing formulations compatible with Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) technology, which is widely used in transportation applications. Through extensive testing, materials with high bio-based content were successfully developed, exhibiting competitive mechanical properties and compliance with key fire safety requirements of the railway sector, as per the EN 45545-2 standard.