6. Conclusion

Flame retardants are used in the polymer processing industry to prevent polymer ignition, or to slow and retard flame propagation by interfering with or interrupting the combustion process. Tightening regulations mean that these additives must be both environmentally friendly and economically viable for the industry. Research is focusing on non-smoking materials whose degradation products are not very toxic in the event of fire. Recent years have seen the emergence of a new class of potentially flame-retardant compounds, namely certain bio-based compounds. But the challenge for the future is to industrialize these compounds for large-scale use.