The workhorse of modern brominated flame retardancy: ~82% bromine in a molecule built to replace banned decaBDE — same efficiency class, higher thermal and UV stability, and outside the PBDE restriction lists. Supplied as powder and pre-synergized packages with antimony trioxide for PP, PE, HIPS, ABS, PBT, PA and wire & cable.
Fig. DB01 — brominated additive & UL94 barsDBDPE-based compound specimens after vertical burn testing.
Decabromodiphenyl ethane is decaBDE’s legal successor: swap the ether oxygen for an ethane bridge and the molecule leaves the PBDE family entirely — keeping the ten bromines and the efficiency, dropping the restriction baggage. That one-atom difference is why the market migrated here.
Same bromine count and application map as the banned legacy molecule, without PBDE classification — the drop-in path for formulations that had to leave decaBDE behind.
Decomposition onset above ~330 °C means DBDPE survives PBT and PA processing where lesser bromine sources gas out — and it resists the UV yellowing that plagued older grades.
Like every bromine source, DBDPE performs with antimony trioxide at roughly 3:1 Br:Sb — and takes zinc borate substitution where antimony cost or scrutiny bites.
Classic gas-phase bromine chemistry — the flame is poisoned, not smothered.
In the flame zone DBDPE releases bromine species that convert to HBr — timed by its high decomposition onset to match engineering-plastic burn conditions.
HBr scavenges the H• and OH• radicals that drive combustion — the chain reaction stalls and the flame self-extinguishes.
Antimony trioxide converts the bromine into volatile antimony halides that carry it deeper into the flame — the synergy that reaches V-0 at total loadings mineral systems cannot approach.
Wherever a halogen-tolerant spec wants V-0 at the lowest total loading — from commodity polyolefins to glass-filled engineering plastics.
| Polymer | Typical DBDPE Loading | Package | Key Targets | Related Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP / PE | 8–15% | + Sb₂O₃ ~3:1 | UL94 V-2 / V-0 at low cost | FR polyethylene guide |
| HIPS / ABS | 12–18% | + Sb₂O₃, anti-drip | UL94 V-0 @ 1.6 mm, E&E housings | FR ABS |
| PBT / PA (glass-filled) | 14–20% | + Sb₂O₃, thermal stabilizers | V-0 on GF grades; survives 250–300 °C melt | FR PBT guide |
| Wire & cable (halogen-tolerant) | 10–18% | + Sb₂O₃ / ZB blends | Jacket flame ratings where LSZH is not required | FR PVC cable guide |
| Elastomers & TPE | 10–16% | + Sb₂O₃ | Industrial parts, halogen-tolerant specs | — |
Buyers still ask for “deca” — the answer matters at customs. Same performance class, different molecule, different legal status.
The compliant workhorse — an ethane bridge keeps it outside the PBDE family.
The banned legacy — an ether link makes it a PBDE, with everything that follows.
The molecule is standard; the package around it is where compounds pass or fail — ratio, stabilization, dispersion and drip control are formulation work.
We supply DBDPE as powder and as pre-synergized packages — antimony ratio dialed for your resin, anti-drip included where V-0 demands it, antimony-lean variants with zinc borate on request. Every package ships with third-party regulated-substance test reports, because brominated chemistry gets audited.
Fig. DB02 — burn verification in our labEvery Br:Sb ratio is burn-tested before we quote it.
Fig. DB03 — export packagingBags, big bags and palletized supply for overseas buyers.Direct answers for formulators and procurement evaluating decabromodiphenyl ethane before sampling.
Decabromodiphenyl ethane — a brominated flame retardant with ~82% bromine, built as the non-PBDE successor to banned decaBDE. An ethane bridge replaces the ether link, taking it out of the PBDE family while keeping the ten-bromine efficiency.
No. decaBDE is restricted under RoHS and the EU POPs Regulation as a PBDE; DBDPE is chemically distinct and outside those lists. It does sit within ECHA’s ongoing aromatic-BFR review, so monitor its status when designing long-lifecycle products.
Typically 8–15% in polyolefins and 12–20% in styrenics and glass-filled engineering plastics, always with antimony trioxide near a 3:1 Br:Sb ratio and PTFE anti-drip where V-0 requires it. The exact ladder depends on wall thickness — we burn-test before quoting.
Both serve glass-filled engineering plastics. DBDPE offers the higher bromine content per kilogram; polymeric brominated polystyrene wins where migration resistance and electrical properties lead. We quote both routes with the trade-off math for your part.
Send your resin, UL94 class and wall thickness, color/UV requirements and destination market. We will design the Br:Sb package — conventional or antimony-lean — and prove it in our burn lab with the compliance paperwork your customs will ask for.