Abstract: A flame retardant (NPS) was added to polycarbonate (PC), and the flame retardant performance and thermal stability of the resultant PC composite were studied through limiting oxygen index and vertical burning, thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and cone calorimeter instrument. When the NPS loading was 0.075 %, the limiting oxygen index reached the maximum 37.5 %, vertical combustion grade reached V-0 level. NPS decreased the initial decomposition temperature of PC from 419.7 to 389.0 ℃, the carbon residue rate increased from 15.26 % to 20.8 %, at the same time the heat release rate (HRR) and total heat release (THR) were also reduced.

Key words: polycarbonate, nitrogen-phosphorus-sulfur intumescent flame retardant, flame retardancy, thermal stability