Abstract: Flame-retardant poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) composites were prepared by incorporating aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) and melamine cyanurate (MC) through a melt blending method, and their flame-retardant properties and thermal stabilities were evaluated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 vertical burning test, microscale combustion calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The investigation results indicated that AHP could enhance the flame retardancy of PBS significantly, and a combination of AHP with MC could further improve the nonflammability of PBS. The flame-retardant PBS composites reached a UL 94 V-0 rating with a LOI of 29 vol % when 20 wt% AHP-MC complex flame retardant was added. The TGA characterizations demonstrated that the AHP-MC complex flame retardant could increase the initial decomposition temperature and thermal stability at high temperatures effectively. Key words:poly(butylene succinate); aluminum hypophosphite; melamine cyanurate; flame retar-dant; thermal stability

Key words: poly(butylenes succinate), aluminum hypophosphite, melamine cyanuric, flame-retardant, thermal stability