Mussel-Inspired, Self-Healing, Highly Effective Fully Polymeric Fire-Retardant Coatings Enabled by Group Synergy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Fire Safety Engineering

Background:

• Fire-retardant coatings are crucial for protecting materials, but achieving high efficiency, adhesion, and self-repairability in waterborne systems remains challenging.
• Existing methods often compromise substrate properties or lack comprehensive performance.
• Mussel-inspired mechanisms offer a potential solution for advanced coating design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-performance, self-healing, and strongly adhering fire-retardant coating using a "group synergy" design strategy.
• To combine catechol, phosphonic, and hydroxyethyl groups for enhanced coating functionality.
• To demonstrate the coating's effectiveness on various substrates.

Main Methods:

• A "group synergy" approach was employed, integrating catechol, phosphonic, and hydroxyethyl groups into a polymeric fire-retardant coating.
• The coating's self-healing, adhesion, and fire-retardant properties were evaluated.
• Performance was tested on diverse materials including polystyrene foam, timber, fabric, and steel.

Main Results:

• The developed coating demonstrated rapid room-temperature self-healing and strong adhesion to both polar and nonpolar substrates.
• A robust char layer formed upon flame exposure, significantly inhibiting ignition and promoting self-extinguishing behavior.
• A 200 µm coating effectively protected highly flammable polystyrene foam, outperforming existing technologies.

Conclusions:

• The "group synergy" design principle successfully integrated self-healing, strong adhesion, and high fire-retardant efficiency into a single polymeric coating.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for creating next-generation sustainable and high-performance fire-retardant coatings.
• The developed coating provides universal fire protection across a wide range of materials.