NOFLAME has proposed a unique and competitive program for the development of polymeric flame retardant nanocontainers. The nanocontainers have been synthesized in our laboratory during this fellowship with the goal to open an alternative to help solve the problems of poor dispersion and low interfacial adhesion of the inorganic and hybrid nanomaterials applied for flame retardant applications so far. Furthermore, the ability to encapsulate a wide range of substances makes the nanocontainers highly attractive to develop multifunctional nanomaterials in future applications.
Since we live in the polymer age, and polymers are highly flammable, flame retardants have become a key component in the industry to reduce the impact of fires. Flame retardants save people's lives, their property and in some cases even the environment. However, traditional flame retardants like halogenated compounds present some serious disadvantages, like environmental persistence and toxicity, and their use is currently limited by REACH (EC 1907/2006). Halogen-free flame retardants like organophosphorus compounds or metal hydroxides, on the other hand, deteriorate the mechanical properties and have poor effectiveness. Thus, over the last years, the development of fire-resistant nanomaterials encloses one of the most promising challenges in the area of flame retardancy, considering that they can simultaneously enhance mechanical and thermal properties.
From a scientific perspective, the main activities within NOFLAME were: 1) the synthesis of nanocontainers and the encapsulation of organic and inorganic flame retardant compounds, 2) the introduction of the nanocontainers in a polymer matrix and 3) the evaluation of their influence on the mechanical and flame retardant properties of the final material. This project was only possible combining the expertise of the host MPIP Institute (Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research) and the partner BAM Institute (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung).
