Hierarchical MXene@PBA@IL nanohybrids towards high-efficiently enhance fire safety of epoxy resin

Epoxy resins (EP) are renowned for their chemical stability, ease of processing, and cost-effectiveness, which has led to their extensive utilisation. However, their flammability and associated fire risks impose significant limitations on their broader application. Developing effective flame retardants to enhance the fire safety of EP remains a pressing need. In this study, a flame-retardant nanohybrid MXene@PBA@IL (MPL) with excellent fire safety properties for EP was developed by modifying MXene with a trimetallic Prussian blue analogue (PBA) incorporated with Ionic Liquid (IL). MPL demonstrated good compatibility with EP and effectively enhanced its flame retardancy, smoke suppression, durability, and mechanical properties at very low addition levels. Specifically, the EP-2 %MPL sample, containing 2 wt% MPL, achieved a UL-94 V-0 rating and a high limiting oxygen index of 30.8 %. Moreover, compared to pure EP, the peak heat release rate (pHRR), total heat release (THR), peak smoke production rate (pSPR) and total smoke production (TSP) of EP-2 %MPL were reduced by 39.18 %, 23.16 %, 44.09 %, and 50.22 %, respectively. The synergistic carbonization effect of MXene, PBA, and IL played a key role in enhancing the flame retardancy of EP-2 %MPL. Additionally, the flexural strength, impact strength, and water contact angle of EP-2 %MPL increased by 21.82 %, 39.18 %, and 61.76 %, respectively, compared to pure EP. This study offers a promising strategy for the development of multifunctional polymeric nanocomposites based on MXene derivatives.