What is magnesium oxide

Magnesium oxide (chemical formula: MgO) is an oxide of magnesium, an ionic compound. It is a white solid at normal temperature. Magnesium oxide exists in nature in the form of periclase, which is the raw material for magnesium smelting. One of the main uses of magnesium oxide is as a flame retardant. Traditional flame retardant materials widely use halogen-containing polymers or halogen-containing flame retardants. However, in case of fire, due to thermal decomposition and combustion, a large amount of smoke and toxic corrosive gas will be produced, which will hinder fire fighting and personnel evacuation, and corrode instruments and equipment. Especially, it is found that more than 80% of the fatal accidents in fire are caused by the thick smoke and toxic gases produced by materials. Therefore, in addition to the flame retardant efficiency, low smoke and low toxicity are also essential indicators of flame retardants. The development of China's flame retardant industry is extremely unbalanced, with a heavy proportion of chlorine flame retardants, ranking first among all flame retardants, among which chlorinated paraffin occupies a monopoly position. However, chlorine-based flame retardants release toxic gases, which is far away from the pursuit of non-toxicity and high efficiency in modern life. Therefore, in order to comply with the development trend of low smoke, low toxicity and no pollution in the world, the development, production and application of magnesium oxide flame retardant are imperative.