Sustainable Flame-Retardant Polymeric Materials

A special issue of Fire (ISSN 2571-6255).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2516

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
FiberLaboratory, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Science (XAMK), 57200 Savonlinna, Finland
Interests: fire retardancy; bio-based fire retardants; MNFC functional coatings; nanocomposites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to contribute as an author to this Special Issue, which aims to gather the latest advancements in fire retardancy research of polymers and polymer-based materials where sustainable approaches have to be highlighted. Due to their versatility, polymers and polymer-based composites have become indispensable in many economic sectors in modern society. However, in some fields, such as construction, transportation, and electronics, the use of polymeric materials is restricted due to their inherent flammability and low thermal stability. Fire protection technology offers a variety of fire-retardant additives and treatments to reduce the risk of fires and improve dimensional stability. Efficiency, applicability, and cost are parameters normally considered in fire retardant selection, but increasingly demanding ecological requirements have stimulated researchers and manufacturers to design sustainable fire retardant systems without a toxic footprint. The research topics related to sustainable solutions in fire-retardant plastic design typically include using fossil-free sources in both plastic manufacturing and fire retardants, using bio-based materials, and employing multifunctional nano-sized additives. An essential aspect of sustainability is the recycling of materials and converting waste- and side-streams into value-added products.

This Special Issue offers an opportunity to publish an original research paper or review article summarizing the latest achievements in this field. The topics for articles include but are not limited to the following:

  • Development of eco-friendly fire retardant polymeric materials (bulk, coatings, foams, textiles, aerogels, insulating materials, etc.);
  • Bio-based fire retardants;
  • Fire retardancy mechanisms and synergistic phenomena in fire retardancy;
  • Fire risk testing procedures and fire retardancy class estimation/prediction;
  • Multifunctionality of nanomaterials in fire retardancy.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Irina Turku
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fire is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fire retardancy
  • polymer
  • sustainable
  • bio-based
  • functional nanomaterial
  • fire retardancy mechanism

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2868 KB  
Article
Halogen-Free Flame Retardant Impact on Rigid Polyisocyanurate Foam Properties
by Laima Vevere, Beatrise Sture-Skela, Vanesa Dhalivala, Uldis Bariss, Uldis Pasters, Nikolajs Kurma, Ugis Cabulis and Mikelis Kirpluks
Fire 2025, 8(9), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8090360 - 8 Sep 2025
Viewed by 596
Abstract
This study evaluates the impact of different flame retardants on the mechanical and thermal properties of rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams, focusing on formulations with isocyanate indexes of 335 and 400. The flame retardants tested include triethyl phosphate (TEP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), aluminium hydroxide [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the impact of different flame retardants on the mechanical and thermal properties of rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams, focusing on formulations with isocyanate indexes of 335 and 400. The flame retardants tested include triethyl phosphate (TEP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3), and a combination of APP and Al(OH)3. FOAMAT® was used to analyse the foaming kinetics, while further tests assessed density, thermal conductivity, and compression strength. TEP, a liquid flame retardant, was found to reduce peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release significantly, outperforming solid flame retardants. Although solid flame retardants like APP slightly increase start times and gel times due to their non-reactive, filler role, they increase the foam’s density and somewhat limit the effectiveness in reducing flammability. The uneven dispersion and lower compatibility of solid additives may lead to suboptimal improvements in fire resistance. APP displayed dual-phase decomposition, aiding char formation to a degree. Overall, TEP proved most effective in enhancing PIR foam’s fire resistance, demonstrating the advantage of liquid over solid flame retardants in achieving uniform distribution and better integration with the foam matrix, thus optimising thermal insulation and mechanical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Flame-Retardant Polymeric Materials)
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13 pages, 9433 KB  
Article
Study on Fire Characteristics of Flame-Retardant Polycarbonate Under Low Pressure
by Zhuoer Sun, Xuehui Wang and Jian Wang
Fire 2024, 7(12), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7120461 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1329
Abstract
This work presents experimental and numerical research on the pyrolysis and combustion characteristics of flame-retardant polycarbonate under low ambient pressure. A novel experimental low-pressure combustion platform was constructed to determine the heat release rate, a key combustion parameter of polycarbonate. The ignition process [...] Read more.
This work presents experimental and numerical research on the pyrolysis and combustion characteristics of flame-retardant polycarbonate under low ambient pressure. A novel experimental low-pressure combustion platform was constructed to determine the heat release rate, a key combustion parameter of polycarbonate. The ignition process of polycarbonate under external radiation was analyzed, and an ignition time prediction model was developed. In addition, theoretical calculations of the main gas components and concentrations during the pyrolysis stage of polycarbonate and estimations of the calorific values of the combustible gas components produced during pyrolysis were carried out, providing a new explanation for the phenomenon of advancing ignition time in low-pressure environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Flame-Retardant Polymeric Materials)
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