Construction of Zinc Ion-reinforced Melamine Phosphate Flame Retardant for Synergistic Enhancement of Flame Retardancy and Energy Absorption in Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate Foams

Xian-Sheng Hong; Yu-Ying Zheng

doi:10.1007/s10118-026-3672-z

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Construction of Zinc Ion-reinforced Melamine Phosphate Flame Retardant for Synergistic Enhancement of Flame Retardancy and Energy Absorption in Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate Foams

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2026-07-15

- Construction of Zinc Ion-reinforced Melamine Phosphate Flame Retardant for Synergistic Enhancement of Flame Retardancy and Energy Absorption in Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate Foams
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 44, Pages: 1-17(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  a.College of Material Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
  b.School of Materials and Packaging Engineering, Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fuzhou 350300, China
- Author bio：
  
  yyzheng@fzu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-026-3672-z
  CLC：
- Received：11 February 2026，
  
  Revised：2026-03-14，
  
  Accepted：17 March 2026，
  
  Online First：15 July 2026，
  
  Published：15 August 2026
- Accepted：
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Hong, X. S.; Zheng, Y. Y. Construction of zinc ion-reinforced melamine phosphate flame retardant for synergistic enhancement of flame retardancy and energy absorption in ethylene–vinyl acetate foams. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3672-z

Xian-Sheng Hong, Yu-Ying Zheng. Construction of Zinc Ion-reinforced Melamine Phosphate Flame Retardant for Synergistic Enhancement of Flame Retardancy and Energy Absorption in Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate Foams[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-17.
Hong, X. S.; Zheng, Y. Y. Construction of zinc ion-reinforced melamine phosphate flame retardant for synergistic enhancement of flame retardancy and energy absorption in ethylene–vinyl acetate foams. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3672-z DOI：

Xian-Sheng Hong, Yu-Ying Zheng. Construction of Zinc Ion-reinforced Melamine Phosphate Flame Retardant for Synergistic Enhancement of Flame Retardancy and Energy Absorption in Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate Foams[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-17. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-026-3672-z.

摘要

Abstract

The foam materials used in cushioning and protective applications often face a trade-off between flame retardancy and energy absorption. Ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) foams are lightweight

flexible

and highly flammable

which restricts their broader engineering applications. In this study

a multifunctional additive

silane-modified zinc ion–reinforced melamine phosphate (ZnMP)

was developed

via in situ

ion complexation and surface grafting to overcome the incompatibility between flame retardancy and mechanical performance in conventional intumescent systems. Compared to pristine melamine phosphate (MPP)

ZnMP forms a coordinated structure through Zn

interactions with nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing groups. When incorporated into the EVA foams at 15 wt%

ZnMP acted as an efficient heterogeneous nucleating agent

generating a dense microporous structure. Meanwhile

the silane coupling agent enhanced the interfacial interaction between the ZnMP and the EVA matrix

enabling effective reinforcement. Consequently

the EVA/ZnMP foam exhibited significantly improved mechanical properties

including a 144.3% increase in storage modulus

21.4% increase in energy adsorption

and 88.6% cyclic compression retention after 10 cycles (80% strain). In addition

promoted the formation of a compact char layer during combustion

leading to excellent flame-retardant performance with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 25.3%

UL-94 V-0 rating

and a 41.0% reduction in the peak heat release rate. This ion-coordination and interfacial modification strategy offers a promising route for developing lightweight EVA foams with balanced mechanical reinforcements a

nd flame-retardant properties for cushioning and protective applications.

关键词

Keywords

references

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