How are bromine compounds used as flame retardants?

Bromine is primarily used today to produce various chemical compounds that serve as flame retardants. While specific mechanisms for all such compounds are broad, the effectiveness of related organohalogen compounds—such as those historically known as halons—in firefighting is attributed to their ability to interrupt the chemical chain reactions that propagate the combustion process.123

In industrial applications, these bromine-based additives are incorporated into materials like plastics and textiles to reduce their flammability. It is important to note that while these compounds are effective, researchers have explored alternative materials, such as nanoparticles, to potentially replace traditional organic halogen additives due to concerns regarding the emission of harmful fumes during fires. Additionally, some older bromine-containing fire-extinguishing agents, such as halons, were phased out of production due to their status as greenhouse gases and their role in depleting atmospheric ozone.413