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Flame-Retardant Polymer Composites, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 4189

Editors


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Guest Editor
Polymers Composites and Hybrids (PCH), IMT Mines Ales, 30100 Ales, France
Interests: flame retardancy; polymers; mineral fillers; additive manufacturing; polymer composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polymers Composites and Hybrids (PCH), IMT Mines Ales, 30100 Ales, France
Interests: flame retardancy; fire behavior; thermal degradation of polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer composites are extensively employed in various industrial applications, such as transport, wind energy production, aerospace, defense and electronics, among others. Moreover, these materials are often associated with fire hazards, limiting their utilization in some industries, such as transport and defense. Therefore, the flammability of composites must be evaluated and, if required, flame retardants, nanofillers, inorganic particles or other additives should be employed in order to enhance their fire behavior.

Flame-retarded polymer composites can be obtained via various processing routes, such as injection molding, thermo compression or additive manufacturing (AM). Recently, the utilization of AM has expanded the applicative potential of polymer composites because it enables the production of extremely complex parts. However, some composites are not suitable for AM due to the specificities of these technologies. Furthermore, some additives are prone to affecting the functional properties of the composites, regardless of the processing route. Thus, composites and additives should be carefully selected in order to avoid problems during processing, and effective flame-retardant systems should be chosen or developed in order to meet the requirements of the new applications.

Hence, this Special Issue aims to identify the most recent scientific advancements in the flame retardancy of polymer composites processed through various routes, as well developments in the characterization of the flame retardancy mechanism.

Dr. Marcos Batistella
Prof. Dr. Laurent Ferry
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • polymer composites
  • fire behavior
  • additive manufacturing
  • injection molding
  • thermocompression
  • flame retardancy
  • inorganic fillers

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3009 KB  
Article
Influence of Surface Modification of Fly Ashes on the Fire Behavior of Polyamide 6
by Marcos Batistella, Nour-Alhoda Masarra, Constantinos Xenopoulos and José-Marie Lopez-Cuesta
Polymers 2026, 18(8), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18080970 - 16 Apr 2026
Viewed by 469
Abstract
This study investigates the influence of surface-modified fly ash particles on the fire behavior of polyamide 6 (PA6) composites containing two types of flame retardants: melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi). The objective was to evaluate how interfacial modification of fly [...] Read more.
This study investigates the influence of surface-modified fly ash particles on the fire behavior of polyamide 6 (PA6) composites containing two types of flame retardants: melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi). The objective was to evaluate how interfacial modification of fly ash using amino-silane (APTES), glycidoxy-silane (GPTES), or titanate coupling agents affects dispersion, thermal stability, and combustion performance. A series of 18 formulations containing up to 25 wt% of additives was prepared by melt compounding and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cone calorimetry. TGA results showed that MPP-based systems favored char formation, with residues up to 21%, whereas AlPi provided higher thermal stability (T50% ≈ 445 °C). The incorporation of untreated or surface-treated fly ash improved both thermal stability and char yield, depending on the nature of the coupling agent. Cone calorimeter results confirmed a strong synergistic effect between flame retardants and fly ash. The peak heat release rate (pHRR) decreased by 65–75% compared to neat PA6, while total heat release (THR) and mass loss were also significantly reduced. Titanate-modified fly ash showed the most homogeneous dispersion and provided the highest residue and lowest pHRR values. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses confirmed enhanced phosphorus retention in the residues (up to 100%), evidencing the formation of stable inorganic species and protective ceramic-like structures. These results demonstrate that surface-modified fly ash can act as an efficient synergistic additive in PA6 flame-retardant formulations, simultaneously improving fire performance and promoting the valorization of industrial by-products for sustainable polymer design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flame-Retardant Polymer Composites, 3rd Edition)
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18 pages, 3419 KB  
Article
A Phosphorus–Nitrogen Synergistic Flame Retardant for Enhanced Fire Safety of Polybutadiene
by Hongwu Zhang, Huafeng Wei, Heng Yue and Mingdong Yu
Polymers 2026, 18(1), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18010127 - 31 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1297
Abstract
Polybutadiene has excellent mechanical properties and flexibility. It is widely used in elastomers and industrial fields. However, it has the characteristic of high flammability. The low LOI and rapid heat release upon ignition pose significant fire hazards. This results in a significant fire [...] Read more.
Polybutadiene has excellent mechanical properties and flexibility. It is widely used in elastomers and industrial fields. However, it has the characteristic of high flammability. The low LOI and rapid heat release upon ignition pose significant fire hazards. This results in a significant fire safety risk during service. Therefore, its application in some key fields has been restricted. In this study, polybutadiene with high-performance flame-retardant properties was developed by adding phosphorus–nitrogen synergistic flame retardants to address this challenge. This flame retardant mainly enhances its flame retardancy through the synergistic gas-phase and condensed-phase mechanisms. Dense and continuous carbon layers could be promoted by flame retardants during combustion. It provides an effective thermal barrier and oxygen barrier. In addition, phosphorus-containing volatiles can function by suppressing flame propagation via radical quenching in the gas phase. The modified polybutadiene reached UL-94 V-1 grade at the optimal load of 1.0 wt%. Meanwhile, its LOI increased to 27%. The cone calorimeter test further confirms a high reduction in peak heat release rate (pHRR). This work provides a feasible strategy for developing advanced polybutadiene materials. It can effectively enhance its fire safety. At the same time, it maintains a balance between flame retardancy and the overall material performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flame-Retardant Polymer Composites, 3rd Edition)
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Review

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39 pages, 4159 KB  
Review
Polymer-Based Flame-Retardant Asphalt: A Comprehensive Review of Materials, Performance, and Evaluation Methods
by Maja Jokic, Jiemin Zhang and Imrana I. Kabir
Polymers 2025, 17(24), 3272; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17243272 - 9 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1853
Abstract
The growing demand for durable, fire-resistant, and sustainable pavements has intensified research on asphalt as a polymeric composite system. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of asphalt from the perspective of polymer science, focusing on (1) material composition: asphalt chemistry and polymer–binder interaction, [...] Read more.
The growing demand for durable, fire-resistant, and sustainable pavements has intensified research on asphalt as a polymeric composite system. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of asphalt from the perspective of polymer science, focusing on (1) material composition: asphalt chemistry and polymer–binder interaction, and the introduction of polymer modifiers; (2) material properties: rheology, thermal stability, mechanical properties and flame retardancy; and (3) evaluation methods: derivative thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimeter, scanning electron microscope and computer simulation. Applications in road infrastructure, industrial surfaces, and high-temperature environments are discussed, emphasizing how polymer modifications enhance performance under operational stresses. Evaluation methodologies, including wheel-tracking tests and thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric analysis, are critically reviewed to quantify deformation, thermal degradation, and fire-resistance mechanisms at both microstructural and molecular levels. Several key challenges remain, including understanding the long-term interaction between polymers and asphalt, optimizing the dispersion of reinforcing materials, and maximizing the performance of recycled polymers. This review aims to guide future research on polymer-modified asphalt systems to achieve safer, more durable, and more sustainable pavement solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flame-Retardant Polymer Composites, 3rd Edition)
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