De-Yi Wang, IMDEA Materials Institute, Spain, noted that most flame retardant research is today targeting PIN solutions. Performance of organic phosphorus based PIN FRs varies significantly, depending on the chemical structure around the phosphorus atom, so that adapting chemical structures can enable significant reductions in PIN FR loadings to achieve fire performance.
He further presented results showing polymer flame retardancy using PIN FRs with synergists such as nano LDH (layered double hydroxides and clays), cobalt and tin compounds. Importantly, he pointed out the functionalization of nanomaterials via chemically molecular design and synthesis as a promising approach to develop new generation high performance nano flame retardants, at least in some particular polymer systems, such as Epoxy, PVC and PLA, etc.