In recent years, due to the influence of decabromodiphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane being listed as persistent organic pollutants, the development of halogen-based flame retardants has been greatly affected, and the concept of halogen-free flame retardants has emerged. Corresponding to halogen flame retardants, this concept has promoted the development of research and manufacture of many halogen-free flame retardants, including phosphorus-based flame retardants. After 2005, the price of bromine continued to rise, in sharp contrast to the price stability of domestic phosphorus resources, the price gap between the two increased rapidly, and even the price of brominated flame retardants was once more than double the price of most phosphorus flame retardants. Therefore, the increase in the price of brominated flame retardants has promoted the rapid growth of the phosphorus-based or phosphorus-nitrogen-based flame retardants in the market between 2005 and 2012.

In 2012, China's consumption of flame retardants was about 474000 tons, of which phosphorus-based flame retardants accounted for the largest proportion, with a total of about 179000 tons, compared with 90000 tons in 2008, with a growth rate of 16.4. There are many reasons for the rapid growth of the phosphorus-containing flame retardant market. We believe that the most important reason is the high price of its main competitors, the second is the downstream market, and the third is the impact of policies and regulations.

First of all, the price of brominated flame retardants led to the rapid growth of phosphorus-containing flame retardants. The global brominated flame retardant giants are concentrated in Yabao, Coju and ICL, and since 2010, the three companies have been raising the prices of their own flame retardants and bromine-related products. Due to the rising price of brominated flame retardants, it will inevitably stimulate the consumption of phosphorus-containing flame retardants and promote the growth of the phosphorus-containing flame retardant consumer market.

Secondly, the rapid development of downstream industries has led to the growth of phosphorus-containing flame retardants. The consumption proportion of halogenated phosphate ester and halogen-free phosphate ester in phosphorus-containing flame retardants in China accounts for 74% of the consumption of phosphorus-containing flame retardants, which are mainly used in fast-developing fields such as building insulation materials, fireproof coatings, adhesives and copper clad laminates, composite materials, etc. Among them, halogen-free phosphate ester is widely used in PC/ABS alloy. Ammonium polyphosphate is mainly used in fire-retardant coatings and general plastics; red phosphorus flame retardant is mainly used for engineering plastics and general plastic flame retardant; Phosphorus phenanthrene flame retardant is mainly used for copper clad laminate.

Since the 1980 s, China began to study the synthesis and application of ammonium polyphosphate. In recent years, it has developed particularly rapidly. In 2003, the consumption of domestic ammonium polyphosphate reached 8000 tons, and in 2012 it reached 26000 tons, showing a trend of continuous growth. With the strengthening of the national requirements for flame retardant technology, in the future development, phosphorus flame retardants will continue to play a role in steady development with their price advantage.