Chapter 7
Polymer Nanocomposites for Fire
Retardant Applications
Recently, nanostructured materials have drawn significant attention for increasing
the fire safety of polymer materials and also to overcome several drawbacks of pure
polymer materials, such as their inadequate thermal and mechanical properties.
Even at low loadings, nanocomposites can achieve efficient FR activity without
disturbing the mechanical properties of the polymers [1–5]. Numerous methods
have been developed for the synthesis of various functionalized surface-modified
nano fillers, such as nanoparticles, layered double hydroxides, nanoclay, and graphene, and these fillers have been used to prepare fire retardant (FR) polymer
nanocomposites [6–10]. Inorganic metal oxides are majorly used to prepare polymer nanocomposites for FR applications [1, 2, 11–13]. Inorganic metal oxides are
expected to improve the FR activity due to their catalytic effect or by participating
in synergetic reactions; further, the formed char exhibits superior FR properties
compared to neat polymers. The main advantages of nanofillers are that they can
accelerate char formation, increase char strength, and improve the graphitization of
char residue during polymer combustion, which consequently prevents oxygen
transfer to the polymer substrate.
7.1 FR Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Various
Nanoparticles
Nanomaterials that consist of only one element are defined as metal nanoparticles
(NPs). They can exist as individual atoms or clusters of many atoms. In addition to
existing in neutral forms (i.e., Ag(0), Au(0)), Au and Ag particles can exist in
various nanocluster forms, such as Au 8 , Au 11 , Au 13 , Au 18 , Au 25 , Au 38 , Au 55 and
Ag 2 to Ag 8 , and Ag 25 , with characteristic electronic transitions [14]. Due to their
excellent luminescent properties, such NPs are important for bio-labelling applications, producing luminescent patterns and fluorescence resonance energy transfer.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Sinha Ray and M. Kuruma, Halogen-Free Flame-Retardant
Polymers, Springer Series in Materials Science 294,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35491-6_7
83
Polymer Nanocomposites for Fire
Retardant Applications
Recently, nanostructured materials have drawn significant attention for increasing
the fire safety of polymer materials and also to overcome several drawbacks of pure
polymer materials, such as their inadequate thermal and mechanical properties.
Even at low loadings, nanocomposites can achieve efficient FR activity without
disturbing the mechanical properties of the polymers [1–5]. Numerous methods
have been developed for the synthesis of various functionalized surface-modified
nano fillers, such as nanoparticles, layered double hydroxides, nanoclay, and graphene, and these fillers have been used to prepare fire retardant (FR) polymer
nanocomposites [6–10]. Inorganic metal oxides are majorly used to prepare polymer nanocomposites for FR applications [1, 2, 11–13]. Inorganic metal oxides are
expected to improve the FR activity due to their catalytic effect or by participating
in synergetic reactions; further, the formed char exhibits superior FR properties
compared to neat polymers. The main advantages of nanofillers are that they can
accelerate char formation, increase char strength, and improve the graphitization of
char residue during polymer combustion, which consequently prevents oxygen
transfer to the polymer substrate.
7.1 FR Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Various
Nanoparticles
Nanomaterials that consist of only one element are defined as metal nanoparticles
(NPs). They can exist as individual atoms or clusters of many atoms. In addition to
existing in neutral forms (i.e., Ag(0), Au(0)), Au and Ag particles can exist in
various nanocluster forms, such as Au 8 , Au 11 , Au 13 , Au 18 , Au 25 , Au 38 , Au 55 and
Ag 2 to Ag 8 , and Ag 25 , with characteristic electronic transitions [14]. Due to their
excellent luminescent properties, such NPs are important for bio-labelling applications, producing luminescent patterns and fluorescence resonance energy transfer.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Sinha Ray and M. Kuruma, Halogen-Free Flame-Retardant
Polymers, Springer Series in Materials Science 294,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35491-6_7
83