Toward Sustainable Fire Safety: Life Cycle Assessment of Phosphinate-Based and Brominated Flame Retardants in E-Mobility and Electronic Devices

Abstract

The increasing market demand for electronic devices has raised concerns regarding the environmental impact of the flame retardants used in their production. Traditionally, brominated flame retardants have been used for their effectiveness despite their detrimental effects on the environment and hindrance to the principles of a circular economy. Evidently, harmful flame retardants should be replaced with less harmful ones. Hence, the exploration of alternatives, such as organophosphorus flame retardants like aluminum diethyl phosphinate (DEPAL), presents a promising avenue. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate the environmental impacts of DEPAL-based flame retardants in polyamides for use in connectors, plugs, and USB-C ports and to compare their impacts with those of their brominated flame-retardant counterparts. The life cycle impact results show that the flameretardant polyamides using DEPAL have lower environmental impacts than the ones using halogenated flame retardants. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the production of phosphorus still requires large amounts of energy. Hence, switching to renewable energy can significantly lower the footprint of DEPAL. Furthermore, it offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional flame retardants.