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Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) had a wide application because of the perfect property, while it was still limited by its flammability and flame dripping. In this paper, modified molecular sieve (MMS) by 1-((ethoxycarbonyl)methyl)-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([EOOEMIm][PF6]) was used into TPU as a type of flame agent. The flame-retardant performance of TPU was studied by cone calorimeter (CCT), smoke density test (SDT) and thermogravimetric/infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR), respectively. CCT test indicated that MMS improved flame-retardant performance of TPU effectively by promote the formation of char layer. The peak heat release rate and total heat release declined by 48.4% and 32.5%, respectively, compared to pure TPU when 1.0 mass% MMS was added; SDT test showed that MMS improved the smoke generation performance of TPU without flame; and the TG-IR test proved that MMS improved the thermal stability of TPU even though in nitrogen. So the MMS can apply for flame-retardant TPU well in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 1-aminoethyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([APMIm]PF6) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([EMIM]PF6) were used as flame retardant additives in thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). The flame retardant effect of [APMIm]PF6 and [EMIM]PF6 in TPU had been investigated by cone calorimeter (CCT), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), microcombustion calorimeter (MCC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), smoke density test (SDT), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and thermogravimetric/fourier transform infared spectroscopy (TG-IR), respectively. The results indicated that TPU/[APMIm]PF6 had better thermal properties compared with pure TPU and TPU/[EMIM]PF6. The peak heat release rate (pHRR) of TPU/A-1.0 was remarkably reduced by 32.97% and 19.15%, in comparison with that of TPU and TPU/E-1.0. Moreover, the total heat release (THR) and smoke production rate (SPR) of TPU/A-1.0 were the lowest among all samples. And, in the early stage of fire, [APMIm]PF6 can promote the formation of protective carbon layer, reduce the HRR and SPR. Therefore, it is necessary to develop environment-friendly green flame retardants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As is known there is a large amount of smoke released from the combustion process of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). To reduce the fire risk of TPU is one of the research contents in the fire safety fields. In this paper, [Glu]H2PW12O40 was used as smoke suppressant in TPU, and the smoke suppression effect of [Glu]H2PW12O40 was intensively investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscope, cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry, respectively. In the CCT test, the peak value of smoke production rate (SPR) of TPU-3 with 0.5 mass% of [Glu]H2PW12O40 was 0.036 m2 s−1, reduced by 75% compared with the peak SPR value of TPU-0 without [Glu]H2PW12O40 (0.145 m2 s−1). [Glu]H2PW12O40 could decrease the total smoke release (TSR) from 1560 to 694 m2 m−2. And [Glu]H2PW12O40 could decrease the smoke factor from 1838 to 538 W m−2. The SDT results showed that the luminous flux value of TPU-3 with 0.5 mass% of [Glu]H2PW12O40 decreased by 30% compared with pure TPU at the end of the test without flame. The photographs from the CCT test showed that [Glu]H2PW12O40 could promote char residue formation. TG test also revealed that [Glu]H2PW12O40 could improve the thermal stability at high temperature. At the end of thermal decomposition, the mass of TPU-3 with 0.5 mass% of [Glu]H2PW12O40 increased 6.3% compared with the mass of TPU-0 without [Glu]H2PW12O40. Based on the above result, it could be concluded that [Glu]H2PW12O40 can suppress smoke generation by promoting char generation. In addition, [Glu]H2PW12O40 has a good prospect in smoke suppression of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular sieve was applied to chemical industry diffusely as a typical catalyst. Meanwhile, much molecular sieve was abandoned, which leads to the waste of resources and environmental pollution. It became a research hot spot to recycle abandoned molecular sieve (AMS). In this paper, AMS was used as a flame-retardant and smoke-suppressant agent in TPU. The performance of flame retardant and smoke suppressant of samples was tested by cone calorimeter, smoke density test and thermogravimetric/infrared spectroscopy (TG–IR), respectively. The results showed that AMS could improve the performance of flame retardant and smoke suppressant of TPU effectively. The pHRR and TSR declined by 55.0% and 48.4%, respectively, and the luminous flux increased 5.53% when the addition of molecular sieve was 1.0 mass%. TG–IR results showed that AMS can improve the thermal stability of TPU even under nitrogen atmosphere. It can be concluded that AMS has a good application prospect in flame retardant and smoke suppressant of TPU, and a new idea for the disposal of AMS was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an efficient flame-retardant and smoke-suppressant agent HGM@AMP was prepared by coated hollow glass microspheres (HGM) with ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP) and applied in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The fire safety characteristics including heat and smoke production of TPU composites were investigated using cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR), etc. The CCT results revealed that HGM@AMP could significantly decrease the heat release rate (HRR), total smoke release, smoke factor and so on. For example, when the loading of HGM@AMP was 0.5 mass%, the peak HRR value of the sample was decreased to 512.4 kW m−2, reduced by 55.1% compared with the sample containing the same loading of HGM (1141.8 kW m−2). The SDT results indicated that HGM@AMP could obviously improve the luminous flux of TPU composites in the test with or without flame, decreasing the production of smoke. And the TG-IR results showed that HGM@AMP can improve the thermal stability of TPU composites at high temperature. In all, HGM@AMP would make a great influence in improving the fire safety of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article mainly studies the flame retardant and thermal degradation properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites based on HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4], prepared by modifying hollow glass microsphere (HGM) with ionic liquid [EOOEMIm][BF4]. The physical and chemical characteristic of HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4] was tested by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive spectrometer, respectively. And then the flame retardant and thermal degradation characteristics of all TPU composites were tested using smoke density test (SDT), cone calorimeter test (CCT) and thermogravimetric/fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, etc. The SDT results showed that HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4] can significantly decrease the amount of smoke production. The CCT revealed that HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4] can greatly enhance the flame retardant of TPU. The peak heat release rate value decreased from 1224.0 kW m−2 (TPU0) to 498.5 kW m−2 (TPU/HB2). The TG test showed that HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4] can improve the thermal stability of TPU composites and promote the char formation in the combustion process of TPU. All results confirmed that HGM@[EOOEMIm][BF4] can make a great influence on the combustion and degradation of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a new type of flame-retardant HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6] was prepared by modifying fly ash hollow glass microspheres (HGM) with ionic liquids 1-((ethoxycarbonyl)methyl)-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([EOOEMIm][PF6]). The physical and chemical characteristic of HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6] was tested by scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The flame-retardant characteristics including heat and smoke production of TPU composites were investigated using cone calorimeter test (CCT) and limiting oxygen index, etc. The CCT results revealed that the heat release rate (HRR), total smoke release, and smoke factor and so on decreased greatly with the addition of HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6]. For example, when the loading of HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6] was 0.125 mass%, the peak HRR value of the sample was decreased to 779.3 kW m−2 (TPU2), reduced by 23.7% compared with TPU1 (1021.1 kW m−2) containing the same loading of HGM. The thermal degradation behaviors of TPU composites have also been indicated by thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). The TG-IR results showed that HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6] could not only improve the thermal stability of TPU composites at high temperature, but also reduce the aromatic compounds as the smoke precursors. In all, HGM@[EOOEMIm][PF6] will make a great influence in improving the flame retardancy of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel and efficient halogen-free flame retardant, HGM@TiO2, was synthesized by coating hollow glass microspheres (HGM) with TiO2. The flame-retardant and smoke suppression properties of HGM@TiO2 in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) have been investigated using several techniques including cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and fourier infrared, respectively. The CCT results showed that HGM@TiO2 could greatly improve the flame-retardant properties of TPU composites. The peak heat release rate of the sample with 0.5 wt% HGM@TiO2 (405 kW m−2) was reduced by 64% compared with the sample with the same loading HGM (1117 kW m−2), and the structure of char residue layer of TPU composites was obviously changed. The SDT results showed that HGM@TiO2 could effectively decrease the amount of smoke production in the test. Furthermore, the TGA results indicated that HGM@TiO2 could decrease the initial decomposition temperature and improve the thermal stability of TPU. And the FTIR results revealed that HGM@TiO2 could promote the composites to release inflammable gas such as CO2 earlier to suppress the combustion. According to this study, there may be some new methods to obtain flame-retardant polymer with low loading level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, reducing the fire hazard of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is an important research direction in the fields of fire safety materials. In this article, hollow glass microsphere (HGM) was used to reduce the fire hazard of TPU in combustion process. The fire characteristics including smoke and heat production of TPU composites were evaluated using smoke density test (SDT) and cone calorimeter test (CCT). And the thermal decomposition and flammable properties were further studied using thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR) and limiting oxygen index (LOI), etc. The SDT results showed that the luminous flux (LF) of TPU4 containing 2.00 wt% HGM was up to 24% at the end of test without flame, which is much higher than that of TPU0 (5%). And, the CCT results indicated that 2.00 wt% HGM could make the total smoke release (TSR) decrease from 1019 m 2 /m 2 (TPU0) to 757 m 2 /m 2 (TPU4), reduced by 26%. The TG-IR results confirmed that HGM could improve the thermal stability of composites and reduce the production of some toxic gases. The above results illustrated HGM had a good prospect in reducing the fire hazard for TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the hollow glass microspheres coated with FeO (HGM-FeO) were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, respectively. Then, the flame retardant and smoke suppression properties of HGM-FeO in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites have been investigated intensively using several methods, including cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry. The CCT results showed that HGM-FeO can greatly enhance the flame retardance of polymer matrix materials compared with TPU. For example, HGM-FeO can reduce heat release rate, total heat release, and smoke release of TPU composites in the combustion process. The SDT results showed that HGM-FeO can effectively decrease the amount of smoke production in the test. Furthermore, the TG results indicate that HGM-FeO can decrease the initial decomposition temperature, and change the structure of char residue layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, ferrous powder has been used as flame retardant and smoke suppression synergism with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) in flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites. The synergistic flame retardant and smoke suppression effects between ferrous powder and APP have been studied using cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), and limiting oxygen index (LOI). The CCT results showed that appropriate amount of ferrous powder can greatly decrease heat release rate, total heat release, mass loss, smoke production rate, total smoke release, and smoke factor. The SDT results indicated that ferrous powder can greatly improve the luminous flux of flame retardant TPU composites in the test with flame; however, the luminous flux decreases with the addition of ferrous powder in the test without flame. And the LOI results showed that the LOI value of the samples with ferrous powder is higher than that of the sample with only APP. The above results imply there are synergistic flame retardant and smoke suppression effects between ferrous powder and APP in TPU composites. Then, the thermo-gravimetric (TG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the synergistic flame retardant and smoke suppression mechanism between ferrous powder and APP in TPU composites. The TG and DTG results showed that ferrous powder can decrease the initial decomposition temperature and improve the thermal stability at high temperature for flame retardant TPU composites. The SEM results showed that ferrous powder can improve the quality of char residues after CCT, resulting good flame retardant and smoke suppression properties for TPU composites containing both APP and ferrous powder. This is a very meaningful result in fire safety materials fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel organic-inorganic intumescent flame retardant, expandable graphite modified with charring agent (EGM), was synthesized using expandable graphite (EG), phosphorus oxychloride, and pentaerythritol. Then, EGM was used as flame retardant for epoxy resin. And the flame-retardant properties of epoxy composites were investigated by cone calorimeter test (CCT). The thermal degradation behaviors of epoxy composites were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) in nitrogen atmosphere. And the pyrolysis kinetics of the composites was investigated using Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods. The CCT result indicated that EGM can reduce the heat release rate and smoke production rate more than EG in flame-retardant epoxy composites: a more compact char residue formed on the surface of the sample with EGM than that of the sample with EG during the combustion process. The TG result showed that the sample with EGM has higher thermal stability than the sample with EG. And the data calculated from Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods showed that both EP-0 and EP-3 had two thermal degradation stages; EGM can improve the E value of epoxy resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the influence of the T31 content on the combustion properties and thermal degradation behaviors of flame-retardant epoxy composites, a series of flame-retardant epoxy composites were prepared using E-44 epoxy resin as matrix, T31 curing agent as curing agent, and intumescent flame retardant (IFR, based on phosphorus acid, melamine, and pentaerythritol) as flame retardant. The influence of T31 content on combustion behaviors and thermal degradation properties of the flame-retardant epoxy composites were studied using cone calorimeter test (CCT) and thermal-gravimetric analysis (TG), respectively. The cone calorimeter test results indicate that the decrease of T31 can significantly decrease the HRR, THR, SPR, and enhance the char residue of the epoxy composites. EP-4 with 7.0 wt% T31 shows the lowest HRR, SPR and the highest char residue. Furthermore, the TG results indicate that the EP-4 has the highest char residue among all the epoxy composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame retardant epoxy resin (FREP) were synthesized from phosphoric acid and bisphenol A epoxy resin (BAEP). The structure of the FREP was characterized using FTIR and P NMR. Then, several FREP/BAEP mass ratios were used to obtain materials with different phosphorus contents. The properties of the thermosetting materials were evaluated by limiting oxygen index, UL 94, cone calorimeter test, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the heat release rates and smoke production rates decreased greatly, and char residue increased with the increasing of FREP. It indicates that good flame retardant properties are related to the formation of a protective phosphorus-rich char layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Melamine salt of pentaerythriol phosphate (MPP), as a new single molecule intumescent flame-retardant, was prepared from pentaerythritol, phosphoric acid, and melamine, and then incorporated into polypropylene (PP) with organic montmorillonite (OMT) to obtain flame retardant PP/MPP/OMT composites. The flammability and combustion behavior of flame retardant PP composites were characterized by using LOI, UL-94 test, and cone calorimeter, respectively. The results showed that the flame retardant properties of the composite containing 29.0wt% MPP and 1.0wt% OMT are the best among all the composites. The digital photographs after cone calorimeter test demonstrated that moderate OMT could promote to form the homogenous and compact intumescent char layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel hyperbranched polyphosphate ester (HPE) was synthesized via the polycondensation of bisphenol-A and phosphoryl trichloride. The formed HPE was characterized by FTIR, H NMR and P NMR to confirm its structure. Then, a series flame retardant epoxy resins from bisphenol-A epoxy cured with HPE and bisphenol-A were prepared. The combustion behavior of the flame retardant epoxy resins was studied using limiting oxygen index (LOI) and cone calorimeter test. The LOI value increased from 23 to 32 when HPE, instead of bisphenol-A, was used as a curing agent. The cone calorimeter test data revealed that the cured bisphenol-A epoxy resin with HPE as a curing agent possessed improved flame retardancy. The photo graphs and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of char residues confirmed the cone calorimeter results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate (MAPP) is prepared using hydroxyl silicone oil by in situ polymerization and characterized by XPS. Microencapsulation gives MAPP better water resistance and flame retardance compared with APP in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Thermal stability and fire resistance behavior have been analyzed and compared. The LOI value of the TPU/MAPP composite is higher than that of the TPU/APP composite. The UL 94 rating of the TPU/MAPP composite is V-0 at the 20 wt% additive level, whereas TPU/APP gives V-2 rating at the same loading level. The water resistant properties of the TPU composites are studied. Results of the cone calorimeter and microscale combustion calorimeter experiment show that MAPP is an effective flame retardant in TPU compared with APP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of hydroxy silicone oil (HSO) as a synergistic agent on the flame retardancy of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene composites (IFR-PP) were studied, and the IFR system mainly consisted of the ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER). The UL-94 test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cone calorimeter (CONE), digital photograph and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to evaluate the synergistic effects of hydroxy silicone oil. It has been found that the Polypropylene (PP) composite containing only APP and PER does not show good flame retardancy at 30% additive level. The cone calorimeter results show that the heat release rate, mass, total heat release, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide of PP/APP/PER/HSO composites decrease in comparison with the PP/APP/PER ternary composite. The digital photographs demonstrated that HSO could promote to form the homogenous and compact intumescent char layer. Thus, a suitable amount of HSO plays a synergistic effect in the flame retardancy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel phosphate acrylate monomer (TGMAP) has been synthesized by allowing phosphoric acid to react with glycidyl methacrylate. Its structure was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). The thermal degradation mechanism was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). The char yield was 36.3% at 600 °C. TG data indicate that the material undergoes degradation in three characteristic temperature stages, which can be attributed to the decomposition of the phosphate, thermal pyrolysis of aliphatic chains, and degradation of an unstable structure in char, respectively. The volatilized products formed on thermal degradation of TGMAP indicated that the volatilized products are CO, CO2, carboxylic acid, acid anhydride, water, alkane, and aromatic compounds according to the temperature of onset formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Halogen-free flame retarded ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) composites using Mg-Al-CO3 hydrotalcite (MALDH) and microcapsulated red phosphorus (MRP) have been prepared in a melt process. The flame retardation of the composites has been studied by the limited oxygen index (LOI) and UL-94 methods, and the thermal decomposition by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The changes of their properties of the composites before and after the Gamma irradiation are compared. The synergistic effect in the flame retardation between MALDH and MRP in EVA has been found. The EVA/MALDH/MRP composites after the irradiation crosslinking result in a great increase in the Vicat softening point. The LOI value, the mechanical properties and thermal stability are also improved for the composites irradiated by a suitable irradiation dose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS) and vinyl triethoxysilane (VTES) grafted ethylene–octene copolymer (POE) were prepared in the melt process. The effects of silane concentration, reaction time and temperature on the silane grafting were investigated, and the grafting reaction was in situ monitored using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The silane grafted POE was characterized by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and melt flow index (MFI). MFI data of the silane grafted POE show that the MFI value is affected not only by DCP concentration, but also by silane concentration. The difference of gel content between VTMS and VTES crosslinked POE indicates that for POE, the grafting reaction activity of VTES is higher than that of VTMS. Moreover, the thermal behavior and mechanical properties of the crosslinked POE were also studied. It has been found that the thermal stability and mechanical properties of the silane crosslinked POE are greatly improved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of silane crosslinked polyethylene (SXPE) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) modified polyethylene (DMPE) were studied by differential scanning calorimetry at different cooling rates. Three methods, namely, the Avrami, the Ozawa, and the Mo, were applied to describe the crystallization process of virgin LLDPE, DMPE and SXPE under non-isothermal conditions. The values of half-time of crystallization t1/2, and the parameter Zc in the Avrami method which characterize the kinetics of non-isothermal crystallization, show that the crystallization rates of virgin LLDPE and DMPE are faster than that of SXPE at the same cooling rate, and crystallization rates of all samples increase as the cooling rate increases. The Ozawa model is also suitable to describe the process of the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of all samples. In the Mo method, it has been found that the F(T) values of virgin LLDPE and DMPE are lower than that of SXPE, meaning that the crystallization rate of virgin LLDPE and DMPE is faster than that of SXPE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to the difficulty of absorbing viscous crude oil, there is an urgent need for carbon sponges with excellent photothermal properties and oil‐water separation capabilities to reduce viscosity and facilitate oil absorption. However, the preparation of high‐temperature carbonization leads to poor mechanical properties, low absorption capacity, and stringent preparation conditions. To solve these challenges, a highly hydrophobic flame‐retardant melamine sponge (CPBA@CMS) is designed by assembling sponge at the interface of cobalt–iron Prussian blue (CoFe‐PBA) derived from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and conducting low‐temperature catalytic carbonization under nitrogen. The results demonstrate that CPBA@CMS exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties (water contact angle = 169.7°) and oil absorption capacity (80.7–219.5 g g−1). Furthermore, CPBA@CMS displays remarkable photothermal effects and thermal conductivity, making it adaptable to various environmental conditions. It can rapidly rise to 141 °C under 1 kW m−2 solar irradiation, with the maximum oil absorption rate reaching 98% and the highest oil absorption capacity at 105.5 g g−1. Additionally, CPBA@CMS shows significant fire safety performance, reducing heat release rate by 84.2%, smoke factor by 97.5%, and CO release rate by 81.4%, respectively. It provides an efficient, safe, and sustainable practical solution for effectively addressing spills of crude oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneously enhancing the fire safety and mechanical properties of epoxy resin (EP) remains a persistent challenge. Herein, a high‐efficient phosphaphenanthrene‐based flame retardant (FNP) is synthesized using 3,5‐diamino‐1,2,4‐triazole, 4‐formylbenzoic acid, and 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide. Due to the presence of active amine groups, FNP is employed as a co‐curing agent for fabricating EP composites with outstanding fire safety and mechanical properties. EP containing 8 wt% FNP (EP/8FNP) achieves a vertical burning (UL‐94) V‐0 rating with a limiting oxygen index of 31%. Meanwhile, FNP declines the peak heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke release of EP/8FNP by 41.1%, 31.8%, and 16.0%, respectively, compared to those of unmodified EP. The increased fire safety of EP/FNP composites is because FNP promotes the formation of an intumescent, compact, and cross‐linking char layer for EP/FNP composites, and releases P‐containing substances and noncombustible gases in the gas phase during combustion. In addition, EP/8FNP exhibits 20.3% and 5.4% increase in the flexural strength and modulus compared with those of pure EP. Furthermore, FNP enhances the glass transition temperature of EP/FNP composites from 141.6 °C for pure EP to 147.3 °C for EP/8FNP. Therefore, this work is conducive to the future development of fabricating fire‐safe EP composites with enhanced mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental investigation on combustion behavior and mechanical properties of flame-retardant thermoplastic polyurethane were performed in the article. By the masterbatch-melt blending technique, the TiO2 particles were well dispersed in TPU/APP composites. The microscopic morphology structure was observed by TEM and SEM. TEM images of TPU-TiO2 masterbatch material showed that the grain sizes of TiO2 particles were 200-400 nm. The SEM result indicated that the TiO2 particles could enhance compatibility and dispersion of APP in TPU. The mechanical properties of TPU composites were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests, respectively. The DMA results indicated that TiO2 particles could improve the viscoelastic property of the TPU/APP composites. The tensile strength achieved a significant improvement with addition of TiO2 particles. APP/TiO2-5 obtains a better value of 344% than APP-1 (277%). Also, the flame-retardant property and thermal stability of the TPU composites were characterized using cone calorimeter test (CCT) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The CCT results revealed that TiO2 particles could enhance the flame-retardant property of APP in TPU. The peak heat release rate of APP/TiO2-4 containing 0.5% TiO2 decreased to 157.27 kW m−2 from 225.5 kW m−2 of APP-1 sample without any TiO2. The TiO2 particles could promote the formation of carbon layers which restrict the diffusion of fuels into combustion zone and access of oxygen to the underlying materials. The TGA results indicated that TiO2 can improve the thermal stability of TPU/APP composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of polyaniline coupled graphitized carbon nitride nanosheets doped with different organic phosphoric acids (CP@PA, with phytic acid; CP@NP, with amino trimethyl phosphonic acid) are developed by in‐situ polymerization. According to the analysis of the section morphology and element distribution of epoxy resin (EP) composites, although CP@PA and CP@NP show completely different morphology, they can significantly enhance the dispersion of graphitized carbon nitride nanosheets in EP. Moreover, the different oxidation states of phosphorus contained in the CP@PA and CP@NP lead to varying effects on the fire safety of EP. The flame retardancy Index (FRI) is a dimensionless index to evaluate the performance of flame retardants. When used as a flame retardant, CP@NP (FRI = 3.22) is better than CP@PA (FRI = 1.29) in flame retardant, especially in suppressing thermal hazards. As a synergist of intumescent flame retardants (IFR), CP@PA (FRI = 26.12) is most effective in improving the comprehensive fire safety property of EP and achieves an "Excellent" rating. Therefore, two different flame‐retardant mechanisms of CP@PA and CP@NP are summarized by analyzing the combustion behavior and changes of condensed phase. In summary, this research may be helpful to the design of nano synergies for IFR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids have been highlighted as nonflammable, environmentally friendly, and suggested as possible solvents. Here, the application of one ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, EMIMPF) in thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) is studied with a focus on fire safety improvement. The impact of the composition on combustion- and thermal degradation-related properties is investigated for EMIMPF concentrations of additive (~2 mass%). A large impact on the combustion and thermal degradation properties is found for TPU containing EMIMPF. EMIMPF can catalyze TPU decomposing to form char residue layer at low temperature. Then, the good flame retardant and smoke suppression properties are obtained by introducing EMIMPF into TPU system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of fibers is more and more extensive, and the pollution caused by abandoned fibers is getting more serious, which has aroused wide attention. So it is necessary to find a way to solve the problem. In this paper, the para-aramid fiber (AF) was recycled and modified by phosphoric acid, and then was applied as environmental friendly flame retardant for thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). The flame retardant properties of TPU were tested using cone calorimeter test (CCT) and thermogravimetric/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR). The CCT test showed that AF-P had better flame retardant effect on TPU than pure AF. Remarkably, the pHRR value for the sample with 1.00 wt% content of AF-P was decreased by 48.1%; AF-P had improved the char forming progress and the residual mass was 30.6%, which was much more than pure TPU. TG test showed that AF-P could improve the thermal stability of TPU at high temperature. The TG-IR test revealed that AF-P had reduced the release of CO 2 at the beginning. Based on the above results, it will make a great influence on the study of reuse of fibers and environmental friendly flame retardant of polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article mainly studies synergistic flame-retardant effects of iron-graphene (IG) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). A high concentration of TPU/IG masterbatch was prepared by solution-blending method, and the TPU/APP/IG composites were prepared by melt-blending method. Then, the synergistic effects between iron-graphene and ammonium polyphosphate in flame-retardant TPU were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), cone calorimeter test, and thermogravimetric/Fourier infrared spectrum (TG-IR), respectively. Remarkably, the combination of 0.25 mass% IG and 9.75 mass% APP can make the LOI value increase by 38.3 %, HRR value decrease by 92.8 %, and SPR value decrease by 72.8 %, etc. TG and TG-IR data reveal that APP and IG improve the thermal stability of samples at high temperature and reduce the production of some toxic gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article mainly studies synergistic flame retardant effects and smoke suppression properties of iron-graphene (IG) and aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), AHP used as main flame retardants and IG used as synergistic agents. A high concentration of TPU/IG masterbatch was prepared by solution-blending method, and then TPU/AHP/IG composites were prepared by melt-blending method. Then, the flame retardant effects of all TPU composites were tested using limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 test, cone calorimeter test (CCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and thermogravimetric/fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR). Remarkably, with 0.25 wt% content of IG and 9.75 wt% content of AHP, sample reached UL 94 V-0 rating, and the LOI value increased by 31.5 vol%, pHRR value decreased by 90% and pSPR value decreased by 72%, etc. SEM images show that char residues become more complete and present lamellar structure. TG-IR data reveal that the incorporation of AHP and IG promoted the release of H 2 O and CO 2 , meanwhile reduced harmful gases release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article mainly deals with smoke-suppression properties and synergistic flame-retardant effects of iron oxide brown ((Fe2O3 + FeO)· nH2O) on intumescent flame-retardant epoxy resins (IFREP) using ammonium polyphosphate and pentaerythritol as intumescent flame retardants. The smoke-suppression properties and flame retardancy of iron oxide brown on IFREP compositions were investigated by the cone calorimeter test (CCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis-infrared spectrometry. Remarkably, CCT data revealed that the incorporation of iron oxide brown into IFREP compositions can significantly reduce heat release rate, total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke release, and so on. On the other hand, the SEM results showed that iron oxide brown can greatly improve the structure of char residue. The thermogravimetric data indicated that iron oxide brown had different effects on the process of thermal degradation of the IFREP compositions. The volatilized products formed on thermal degradation of IFREP compositions indicated that the volatilized products were H2O, CO2, CO, carboxylic acid, and aliphatic hydrocarbons according to the temperature of onset formation. Here, iron oxide brown is considered to be an effective smoke-suppression agent and a good synergism with IFR in flame-retardant epoxy resins, which can greatly enhance the char residue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A nanohybrid with core-shell 3D cross-heterostructure, ZIF-67H@PBA, was synthesized. • Adding just 0.5wt% of ZIF-67H@PBA can effectively enhance flame retardant of TPU. • Cone calorimeter-Smoke sampling device-GCMS was constructed to show smoke release. • ZIF-67H@PBA showed high fire safe performance by catalyzing the carbonization of TPU. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has an extensive application in many different industries. However, serious fire hazards and smoke toxicity have been the main reason limiting its wide application. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent to perform flame retardant and smoke suppression treatment for TPU. In recent years, metal-organic framework compounds (MOFs) have very promising application prospects in the fields of flame-retardant polymer composites. However, there is a problem of low flame-retardant efficiency for the original MOFs alone in polymer composites. It is reported the multi-level and multi-structured flame-retardant system has better flame-retardant efficiency than the traditional structures. So, the dual MOF core-shell heterostructure may have more effective heat reduction and smoke suppression than any single component. In this paper, a core-shell 3D cross-heterostructures nanohybrid (ZIF-67H@PBA) was prepared using ZIF-67H as the host MOF and Prussian blue nanocubes (PBA) as the guest MOF. It has been found that TPU/ZIF-67H@PBA composites with ultra-low additions have excellent fire safety. Compared with those of pure TPU, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), total smoke release (TSP), and smoke factor (SF) of the samples with 0.5wt% ZIF-67H@PBA were reduced by 33.6 %, 47 %, and 61 %, respectively. At the same time, a cone calorimeter (CCT), a homemade soot sampling device and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) coupling with each other were constructed and used to demonstrate the most realistic effects of flame retardants in terms of smoke suppression and toxicity reduction. This work provides a new strategy to design TPU flame retardants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel 3D cross-shaped ZIF-67 (ZIF-67 H) was designed. • ZIF-67 H provides TPUs with great flame retardancy and smoke suppression properties. • The catalytic flame retardancy mechanism of ZIF-67 H was summarized and speculated. Zeolite imidazolium frameworks (ZIFs), as a subcategory of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are widely used in many fields. And, the physical morphology, particle size, and shape of ZIFs have an important influence on their application performance, such as flame retardancy for polymer. Here, three types of ZIF-67 were prepared with different physical morphology structures including dodecahedron (ZIF-67), cube (ZIF-67 NC), and cross-shaped (ZIF-67 H), by adjusting the proportion between 2-methylimidazole and cobalt (Ⅱ) nitrate hexahydrate together with the suitable amount of surfactant (CTAB), and they were used to enhance the flame retardancy and smoke suppressing properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). It has been found the novel ZIF-67 H with 3D cross-shaped superior catalytic and flame-retardant capabilities than the other two during the burning process of TPU composites. Compared with those of pure TPU, the peak heat release rate (pHRR), total smoke production (TSP), and smoke factor (SF) of TPU/2 wt%ZIF-67 H were decreased by 45.4 %, 50.2 %, and 72.9 %, respectively. At the same time, both TPU/1 wt%ZIF-67 H and TPU/2 wt%ZIF-67 H samples showed stronger tensile properties than pure TPU at the same elongation. This work further enriches the study of multi-structured ZIFs for flame retardant TPU. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic polyurethane was increasingly used in many applications, and reducing its fire hazard was a very important research direction. In this paper, CS and PWA and their combinations were added to TPU as flame restardants. The flame restardant and smoke suppression performance of the samples after adding CS/PWA combination was investigated by CCT, SDT, LOI, and TG-IR. The CCT results showed that the combination of CS/PWA could effectively reduce the heat release rate of TPU, and the pHRR value could be reduced by 76%; the TSR value would be reduced by 50%. Moreover, the THR value could be reduced by 35.4%. The combustion time could be prolonged, and the LOI value could be increased from 21% to 24.8%. The SDT results showed that CS/PWA combination could effectively reduce the smoke production in the test. The structure of the char residue layer of TPU composites became more dense and continuous. The reduction of MDI generation from TPU thermal decomposition was demonstrated by GC–MS, and it was further demonstrated that CS/PWA could promote the formation of the dense char layer and protected the matrix material. The mechanical performance tests proved that the CS/PWA combination had little effect on the structure of the TPU material. The above results indicate that the CS/PWA combination had a good prospect in reducing the fire hazard of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper lies in the preparation and utilization of phenolic resin hollow microspheres to enhance the induced carbonization performance of polymer materials and endow higher fire safety. PHM (phenolic resin hollow microspheres), CPHM (carbonized phenolic resin hollow microspheres), and CAPHM (carbonized phosphorylated phenolic resin hollow microspheres) were used as fillers in thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. With the incorporation of 4 wt.% CPHM, as compared to pure TPU, the peak heat release rate (pHRR), total smoke release (TSR), and the peak CO release rates are decreased by 64.4%, 37.9%, and 86.2%, respectively. Simultaneous enhancement in flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and toxicity reduction is attributed to the formation of a compact residual layer in the polymer matrix, which significantly retards the dispersion of combustible gas, smoke particles, and toxic gas from the underlying substrate. Such outstanding characteristics make carbon microspheres a promising candidate for high fire safety polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article mainly studies smoke suppression properties and synergistic flame-retardant effects of ferrocene (Fe(CH)) on intumescent flame-retardant epoxy resins (IFREP) using ammonium polyphosphate and pentaerythritol as intumescent flame retardants. The smoke suppression properties and flame retardancy of ferrocene on IFREP compositions were investigated by cone calorimeter test (CCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis-infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). Remarkably, CCT data revealed that the addition of ferrocene into IFREP compositions can significantly reduce heat release rate, total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke release. On the other hand, the SEM results showed that ferrocene can greatly improve the structure of char residue. The TG data indicated that ferrocene had different effects on the process of thermal degradation of the IFREP compositions. Moreover, the volatilized products formed on thermal degradation of IFREP compositions demonstrated that the volatilized products were HO, CO, CO, carboxylic acid, and aliphatic hydrocarbons according to the temperature of onset formation. Here, ferrocene is considered to be an effective smoke suppression agent and a good synergism with IFR in flame-retardant epoxy resins, which can greatly enhance the char residue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of intumescent flame-retardant epoxy resins (IFREP) were prepared based on bisphenol A epoxy resin (EP) as matrix resin, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol as intumescent flame retardants (IFRs), and ferrite yellow (goethite) as smoke suppressant. Then, the synergistic flame-retardant and smoke suppression properties of α-FeOOH on IFR epoxy composites were intensively investigated using cone calorimeter test and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal degradation process of IFR epoxy composites were studied using thermogravimetric analysis–infrared spectrometry under nitrogen atmosphere. Then, the pyrolysis kinetics parameters were investigated using Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa methods. The results showed that goethite can significantly reduce heat release rate, total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke release. There are obvious synergistic flame-retardant and smoke suppression effects between goethite and IFRs in epoxy composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is mainly studied that the smoke-suppression properties and synergistic flame-retardant effect of hollow glass microsphere (HM) in flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites based on ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a flame-retardant. Also, the smoke suppression properties and flame-retardant effect were investigated by smoke density test (SDT), cone calorimeter test (CCT), limiting oxygen index, and thermogravimetric analysis, separately. The char residues left after CCT were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The data of SDT shows that HM could effectively decrease smoke production of TPU composites. The results of CCT reveal that the system of APP/HM could reduce heat release rate, smoke production rate, and total smoke release. It is shown that APP/HM is a good system with smoke-suppression and synergistic flame-retardant properties in flame-retardant TPU composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Smoke suppression of FeOOH on flame retardant TPU composites has been investigated. [•] FeOOH has excellent smoke suppression abilities for flame retardant TPU composites. [•] FeOOH has good ability of char formation, hence improved smoke suppression property. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, the step-by-step dip-coating (SBS) method was used to effectively improve the drawback of LBL by reducing the construction of a multilayer polyelectrolyte. Bio-based flame retardants, phytic acid (PA), and chitosan (CS) were further self-assembly on the surface of cotton fabric treated by epichlorohydrin-modified aramid nanofibers (AEP), ionic liquid (IL), and Cu ion. The pure cotton fabric was immersed in each dipping liquid only once, improving fire safety and antibacterial performance. The treated cotton self-extinguished with a 59 mm char length in the vertical flammability test, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value increased from 18.5 % to 38.5 %. The result of the cone calorimeter test (CCT) revealed that the fire hazard of flame-retardant cotton noteworthy declined (e.g., ~44.1 % and 55.4 % decline in peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release rate (THR)). Conspicuously, the treated cotton exhibited a remarkably inhibiting effect on E. coli and S. aureus activity. The cotton fabric after flame-retardant finishing exhibited excellent fire safety and antibacterial performance. [Display omitted] • Phytic acid and chitosan were further self-assembly on the surface of flame-retardant cotton fabric. • The treated cotton exhibited excellent flame retardancy and antibacterial property. • The work provides new sights for preparing the multifunctional cottons with bio-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide application of flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) poses a giant challenge to human society in terms of fire prevention and environmental pollution. To solve this problem, the lignocellulose-based P–N flame retardant (LFPN) has been developed using mechanochemical methods. It was found that FPUF treated using LFPN exhibited good flame retardancy, but suffered from high smoke generation and toxicity. The hollow dodecahedral ZIF-67 has been used for smoke suppression catalysis, but the agglomeration phenomenon makes it inefficient. Hence, in this study, the adhesive properties of polydopamine (PDA) were utilized to assist the in-situ growth of ZIF-67. The results showed that the total smoke release rate of the treated FPUF was reduced by 40.5%. The toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide, etc., also showed the same decreasing trend. What's more, the catalytic effect of ZIF-67 itself and the synergistic effect with LFPN gave FPUF great flame retardant and smoke inhibition properties. This novel FPUF provides a new reference for achieving smoke suppression and toxicity reduction. [Display omitted] • A novel Bio-based P–N synergistic (LFPN) flame retardant was developed via a mechanochemistry strategy. • In-situ growth of ZIF-67 was carried out on the LFPN surface by polydopamine (PDA). • LFPN@PDA@MOF endows FPUF with efficient flame retardancy and smoke suppression. • The flame-retardant mechanism of LFPN@PDA@MOF includes both catalysis and inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-Al-Fe ternary layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized based on Bayer red mud by a calcination-rehydration method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The synergistic effects between melamine and LDHs in ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) composites were studied using limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94, cone calorimeter test (CCT), smoke density test (SDT), and thermogravimetry-fourier transform infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). Though melamine decreases the LOI values of EVA/LDHs/melamine composites, a suitable amount of melamine can apparently improve UL 94 rating; the composite with 45 % LDHs and 5 % melamine can pass UL 94 test. The CCTs results indicate that heat release rates (HRR) of EVA/LDHs/melamine composites decreased in comparison with that of EVA/LDHs composites. The SDT results show that melamine is helpful to smoke suppression. The TG-IR data show that the ternary composites have a higher thermal stability than that of the binary composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flame retardant polyurethane foams materials (PUFM) composites were prepared using tricresyl phosphate (TCP) as flame retardant. The combustion and thermal degradation behaviors of flame retardant PUFM composites were investigated by microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG–IR). The results showed that TCP had excellent flame retardant abilities for PUFM. The TGA curves suggested that TCP has good ability of char formation. The volatilized products formed on thermal degradation of flame retardant PUFM indicated that the volatilized products are mainly carbonyl compounds, CO2, and esters. In addition, TCP can greatly reduce the toxic gases containing s and increase CO2 as nonflammable gases when it is incorporated into the composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Flame retardant polylactide (PLA) composites were prepared using PLA and a hyperbranched polyphosphate ester (HPE). The flammability and thermal stability of flame retardant PLA composites were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 vertical burning, microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC), and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR). The results showed that HPE had excellent flame retardant abilities for PLA. The TGA curves suggested that HPE has good ability of char formation, hence improved the flame retardant property. The volatilized products formed on thermal degradation of flame retardant PLA indicated that the volatilized products are mainly aldehyde containing compounds, CO, aliphatic esters, and CO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel phosphorus-on-skeleton compound has been synthesized by allowing phosphorus oxychloride to react with 1-oxo-4-hydroxymethyl-2,6,7-trioxa-1-phosphabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (PEPA) and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA). Its structure was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). The UV-curing behavior was investigated using FTIR. Results show that the conversion of the unsaturated bond of the monomer exposed to UV light for 100s is approximately 84%. Flame-retardant effectiveness was estimated from the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and thermal stability was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The LOI value was 39 and the char yield was 53% at 600°C. TG data indicate that the material undergoes degradation in three characteristic temperature stages, which may be attributed to the decomposition of the phosphate, thermal pyrolysis of aliphatic chains, and degradation of an unstable structure in char, respectively. These were further characterized by real time Fourier-transform infrared measurement. It is proposed that the flame retardant action results from decomposition of phosphate to form poly(phosphoric acid), which catalyses the breakage of bonds adjacent to carbonyl groups to form an intumescent char, preventing the sample from burning further. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel silicone and phosphate modified acrylate (DGTH) was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR and FTIR. It was found that DGTH could be cured both by UV radiation and moisture mode with FTIR. The flammability and thermal behavior of the cured film were studied by the limited oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and real time Fourier transform infrared (RT-FTIR). The LOI value of the cured film is 48 and the TG data shows that the cured film has three characteristic degradation temperature regions, attributing to the decomposition of phosphate and polyurethane to alcohols and isocyanates, thermal pyrolysis of alkyl chains, and decomposition of unstable structures in char, respectively. The RT-FTIR data implies that the degraded products of phosphate form poly(phosphoric acid) further catalyse the breakage of carbonyl groups to form an intumescent char, preventing the samples from further burning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The flammability and droplet properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) have limited its wide application in many fields. In this article, isopropyl tris(dioctylphosphoryloxy) titanate was selected as synergism and compatilizer with oyster shell powder as flame retardant in TPU composites. And the influence of isopropyl tris(dioctylphosphoryloxy) titanate for flame-retardant TPU composites has been intensively investigated using the smoke density test, the cone calorimeter test, and the thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry, respectively. The test results show that isopropyl tris(dioctylphosphoryloxy) titanate can reduce the smoke production and heat release. And the total smoke production was reduced by 32% when the mass fraction of isopropyl tris(dioctylphosphoryloxy) titanate was 0.1%. The above results indicate that isopropyl tris(dioctylphosphoryloxy) titanate has a good application prospect in reducing the risk of TPU combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, developing bio-based intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) epoxy coatings for fire protection of steel has become a research hotspot. However, how to endow bio-based IFR epoxy coatings with excellent fire protection, toxic gas suppression, and mechanical properties simultaneously remains a formidable challenge. Here, a bio-based IFR hybrid with the maize structure (PAbz@PBA) was easily constructed by an organic-inorganic hybrid strategy and employed to prepare high-performance IFR epoxy coatings. It has been shown that PAbz@PBA hybrids enhance the curing activity of epoxy coatings in addition to their good dispersion and interfacial compatibility. Notably, the epoxy coating containing 5.0 wt% PAbz@PBA (EP-5%PAbz@PBA) exhibits more efficient fire protection (peak heat release rate and total heat release are reduced by 48.3 % and 34.0 %, respectively), smoke suppression (total smoke production is decreased by 35.9 %), and toxic gas suppression (peak CO production rate is reduced by 39.6 %) compared to the virgin epoxy coating. Meanwhile, the heat insulation performance of EP-5%PAbz@PBA shows superiority compared to that of the virgin epoxy coating, as reflected by its lowest backside temperature (66.3 °C). Furthermore, compared with the virgin epoxy coating, EP-5%PAbz@PBA exhibits improved flexural and impact strengths. This work offers a viable idea for designing bio-based PAbz@PBA hybrids and preparing IFR epoxy coatings with various excellent properties. [Display omitted] • A bio-based PAbz@PBA maize structure has been constructed by an organic-inorganic hybrid strategy. • 5.0 wt% of PAbz@PBA allows EP to easily achieve a UL-94 rating of V0. • PAbz@PBA hybrids endow EP with efficient fire protection and smoke suppression. • PAbz@PBA hybrids improve the heat insulation performance and mechanical performance of EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing efficient flame-retardant MXene-based polymeric materials with enhanced mechanical properties has been a huge challenge. Herein, Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) were used to modify the surface of MXene nanosheets via an electrostatic self-assembly method to construct hierarchical MXene-based nanohybrids (MXene@PBA). Then, MXene@PBA was incorporated into the epoxy matrix to fabricate high-performance epoxy nanocomposites (EP-MXene@PBA). The study indicates that hierarchical MXene@PBA exhibits excellent dispersion performance in the epoxy matrix. Notably, MXene@PBA results in high-efficiency flame retardancy and smoke suppression for epoxy nanocomposites at ultra-low additions. What is very surprising is that only 1.0 wt% MXene@PBA can easily enhance the UL-94 rating of EP-1.0%MXene@PBA to V0. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate (pHRR), total smoke production (TSP), and peak CO production rate (pCO) are remarkably reduced by 36.70%, 34.28%, and 43.48%, compared to those of the pristine epoxy resin, respectively. Furthermore, the 1.0 wt% MXene@PBA nanohybrids can enhance the flexural and impact strengths of EP-1.0%MXene@PBA. This work provides a feasible strategy for the creation of multifunctional MXene derivatives and their polymeric nanocomposites and holds great promise for many industrial applications. [Display omitted] • A hierarchical MXene@PBA nanohybrid has been constructed by a facile electrostatic self-assembly strategy. • 1.0 wt% of MXene@PBA allows EP to easily achieve an attractive UL-94 V0 rating. • 1.0 wt% of MXene@PBA endows EP with high-efficiency flame retardancy and smoke suppression. • 1.0 wt% of MXene@PBA improves the flexural strength and impact strength of EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A green organic-inorganic PAbz@ZIF hybrid has been prepared. • 5.0 wt% of PAbz@ZIF allows EP to easily achieve a UL-94 rating of v0. • PAbz@ZIF hybrids endow EP with efficient flame retardancy and smoke suppression. • PAbz@ZIF hybrids improve the heat insulation performance and mechanical performance of EP. Developing sustainable bio-based flame retardants for flammable polymers has been a research trend. However, applying bio-based flame retardants to confer excellent flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and mechanical properties to polymers remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a green organic-inorganic hybrid (PAbz@ZIF) was readily prepared through a simple neutralization reaction and in-situ generation method and applied to fabricate high-performance flame-retardant epoxy coatings (EP-PAbz@ZIF). It has been shown that PAbz@ZIF hybrids can enhance the curing activity of epoxy coatings in addition to their excellent dispersibility and interfacial compatibility. In addition, the epoxy coating containing 5.0 wt% PAbz@ZIF (EP-5%PAbz@ZIF) exhibits a higher char yield (from 25.1 wt% to 31.5 wt%) in comparison to pristine epoxy resin (EP). More importantly, the PAbz@ZIF-based epoxy coatings show more efficient flame retardancy and smoke suppression compared to pristine EP. For instance, the 5.0 wt% PAbz@ZIF enables EP-5%PAbz@ZIF to obtain a satisfactory UL-94 rating of V0. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate, total smoke production, peak CO production rate, and peak CO 2 production rate of EP-5%PAbz@ZIF are remarkably decreased by 48.6%, 20.5%, 38.6%, and 56.7%, respectively. Furthermore, EP-5%PAbz@ZIF exhibits enhanced heat insulation performance, flexural strength, and impact strength. This work offers a feasible idea for designing green organic-inorganic PAbz@ZIF hybrids and fabricating high-performance flame-retardant epoxy coatings. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]