Article of manufacture containing a flame retardant filler prepared from a bridged polysilsesquioxane

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a housing comprising a plastic material, wherein the plastic material includes a flame retardant filler comprising a bridged polysilsesquioxane prepared by sol-gel polymerization of a monomer comprising two or more trialkoxysilyl groups attached to an organic bridging group, wherein the organic bridging group has a backbone portion that includes at least two oxygen atoms, and wherein the organic bridging group is halogenated.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a housing comprising a plastic material, wherein the plastic material includes a flame retardant filler comprising a bridged polysilsesquioxane prepared by sol-gel polymerization of a monomer comprising two or more trialkoxysilyl groups attached to an organic bridging group, wherein the organic bridging group contains a fire retardant group selected from a phosphinate, a phosphonate, a phosphate ester, and combinations thereof, and wherein the organic bridging group has a backbone portion that includes at least one phosphorous atom.