Biorenewable Polyelectrolyte Nanocoating for Flame-Retardant Cotton-Based Paper.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Architecture

Background:

• Cotton paper, a cellulose-based material, is ideal for humidity-sensing and bio-architecture but suffers from flammability.
• Developing sustainable and effective flame-retardant solutions for cellulosic materials is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an environmentally benign flame-retardant coating for cotton paper using renewable polyelectrolytes.
• To evaluate the efficacy of chitosan/phytic acid coatings in reducing flammability for bio-architecture.

Main Methods:

• Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly was used to deposit thin films of chitosan (CH) and phytic acid (PA) onto cotton paper.
• Microscale combustion calorimetry was employed to measure the reduction in peak heat release rate.

Main Results:

• A coating of only four bilayers (BL) of CH/PA was sufficient to impart self-extinguishing properties.
• The CH/PA coating achieved a significant 69% reduction in peak heat release rate.
• The developed coating is fully renewable and environmentally benign.

Conclusions:

• Renewable intumescent LbL-assembled CH/PA films offer an effective flame-retardant solution for cotton paper.
• This method provides a sustainable approach to enhance the safety of bio-architecture materials.
• The flame-retardant treatment has potential applications for various cellulosic materials.