Method for producing flame retardant flexible polyurethane foams with blends of dibromoneopentyl glycol and flame retardant plasticizer

This invention is directed to a process for producing flame retardant flexible polyurethane foams having a porosity in the range between 0.5 and 10 cubic feet per minute. A polyol having an average molecular weight between about 250 and about 6,500 is reacted with toluene diisocyanate which comprises a mixture of the isomers of 2,4- and 2,6- toluene diisocyanate. The concentration of 2,4- toluene diisocyanate isomer is not critical. The formulation of the present invention includes a flame retardant mixture of a plasticizer and dibromoneopentyl glycol. The plasticizer is either a halogenated phosphonate or halogenated phosphate ester. Chlorine is the preferred halogen atom. The weight ratio of those ingredients is between about 50/50 and about 90/10 with the ratio 85/15 preferred. The concentration of that mixture is from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight of the polyol. Other ingredients that can be included in this formulation are water, a silicone surfactant, a tertiary amine catalyst, a tertiary amine co-catalyst, an auxiliary blowing agent and a tin catalyst. This process results in foam products that are flame retardant and suitable for automotive and furniture applications.