Analytical Sciences

Analysis of Red Phosphorus in Resins Using Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Masuo IIDA, Kenichiro MIYATAKE, and Atsushi KIMURA

Analysis Technology Research Center, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., 1-1-3 Shimaya, Konohana, Osaka 554-0024, Japan

Although red phosphorus is used as a flame retardant for polymer materials, no analysis methods for it in resins has been established. Analysis methods for red phosphorus in resins were investigated using pyrolysis-gas chromatograpy/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) by paying attention to the fact that it has a sublimation property. We found that the mass spectrum of red phosphorus shows a series of ions at m/z = 62, 93 and 124, and a fragment pattern indicating that red phosphorus (P₄ = 124, P = 31) was pyrolytically decomposed. The coefficient of the correlation between the content of red phosphorus in the resin and the peak intensity in Py-GC/MS was 0.9781. The relative standard deviations of this analysis method was 6.29% (n = 5). Py-GC/MS was applicable not only to qualitative analysis but also to the quantitative analysis of red phosphorus.

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