Current Research Status, Key Technologies, and Future Prospects of High-Flame-Retardant, Low-Powdering Phenolic Boards

Phenolic panels are widely used in applications requiring stringent fire resistance due to their advantages of flame retardancy, heat resistance, low smoke emission, and low toxicity. However, traditional products are prone to powdering and slagging under high temperatures or open flames, leading to structural failure and limiting their use in high-end applications. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive research summaries and recommendations addressing the critical failure mode known as “carbonization.” This is a review of research progress in this field: first, it analyzes the thermal degradation mechanisms underlying powdering; then, it summarizes key strategies for enhancing anti-powdering performance from two broad categories: chemical strategies (resin modification and flame retardant systems) and physical strategies (interface design and process optimization); next, it outlines relevant characterization methods; finally, it discusses future development trends, aiming to provide a concise reference for related research and development efforts.