LAUSR

Abstract Promising effects of DOPO-PEPA (DP), an environmental-friendly flame retardant, on the processing of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are studied via rheological experiments. DP reveals profound melt stabilization and lubrication effects even at low concentrations (~1 wt%). Mechanical characterization of PET films confirms that the direct addition of DP powder to PET during extrusion has no adverse effects even if the films are exposed to elevated temperatures for prolonged periods. This property is particularly interesting for high-temperature applications, for instance flexible power electronics, where mechanical flexibility should not be compromised by using a melt process stabilizer.