Interface engineering of Ti3C2 nanosheets for fabricating thermoplastic polyurethane composites with excellent flame-retardant and smoke suppressive properties

Developing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites with excellent fire-safe properties is greatly significant to expand the application fields. Two-dimensional MXene has been proven effective in reducing fire hazards of TPU whereas its poor dispersion in TPU is a serious concern. Herein, benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and victoria blue B modified Ti3C2 were synthesized through interface engineering methods and TPU composites were prepared via severally introducing the two modified Ti3C2 by solvent mixing and hot pressing measures. No apparent agglomeration is observed, suggesting uniform dispersion of functionalized Ti3C2 in TPU. The TPU composites present superior performances in flame retardancy and smoke suppression, and the distinguished fire safety can be attributed to the physical barrier and catalytic charring effect of functionalized Ti3C2 and TiO2. This research presents a convenient way to obtain functionalized Ti3C2, enriching the future applications of MXene as flame retardant and reducing the fire hazards of TPU.