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Highly Efficient Flame Retardant Polyurethane Foam with Alginate/Clay Aerogel Coating
Hong-Bing Chen1, Peng Shen1, Ming-Jun Chen2
1Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics , Mianyang 621000, China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|December 10, 2016
Summary
Flame retardant polyurethane foams were enhanced with alginate/clay aerogel coatings. This novel method significantly reduces fire risk by creating a protective barrier, improving safety in various applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Fire Safety Engineering
Background:
- Polyurethane (PU) foams are widely used but possess inherent flammability.
- Developing effective flame retardant strategies for PU foams is crucial for enhanced safety.
- Aerogel coatings offer potential for improving material properties, including fire resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate highly efficient flame retardant polyurethane foams using alginate/clay aerogel coatings.
- To investigate the microstructure, interactions, and thermal stability of the coated foams.
- To evaluate the fire performance of the modified polyurethane foams.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of alginate/clay aerogel coatings on PU foam via freeze-drying.
- Microstructural characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Optical Microscopy (OM).
- Assessment of thermal stability and combustion parameters (LOI, TTI, HRR, TSR, FIGRA, CO, CO2).
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of PU foam with integrated alginate/clay aerogel coatings.
- Characterized porous structures with strong interfacial interactions between foam and aerogel.
- Demonstrated significant reduction in fire risk, indicated by improved combustion parameters.
- Identified flame retardancy mechanism as barrier formation, not fuel reduction.
Conclusions:
- Alginate/clay aerogel coatings provide an effective and facile post-treatment for flame retarding PU foams.
- The developed method enhances fire safety without significantly reducing total heat release.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for expanding the fire-safe applications of polyurethane foams.
