The incorporation of modified Sb₂O₃ and DBDPE: A new member of high solar-reflective particles and their simultaneous application in next-generation multifunctional cool material with improved flame retardancy and lower wetting behaviour

A new finding is proposed that antimony oxides (Sb₂O₃) and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) can be both used as solar-reflective particles to develop cool materials. Therefore, the incorporation of Sb₂O₃ and DBDPE performs as one promising strategy to create cool materials instead of widely-used titanium dioxide (TiO₂) for their intrinsic flame retardancy. In this study, the reflectance performance of Sb₂O₃ and DBDPE into polymer matrix has been investigated, accompanied with the investigation of the effect of hydrophobic surface modification on Sb₂O₃ on the material surface wettability. With the simultaneous addition of 5 wt% modified Sb₂O₃ and 15 wt% DBDPE and 1 wt% anti-dripping agent (ADP), the material possesses a reflectance of 86.1% throughout the visible (VIS) light region and 72.9% throughout the near infrared light (NIR) region. The high reflectance leads to a maximum temperature decrease of about 31.5 °C in the indoor temperature test and a decrease of about 14 °C under natural condition, in comparison with glass sample. Simultaneously, the limiting oxide index (LOI) value of the material significantly enhances to 28%, accompanied with V-0 rating achieved in UL-94 test. Also, the material surface successfully converts from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, where the water contact angle increases from 87° to 101°.