6 - Flame-retardant wood plastic composites

Abstract

Environmental problems caused by polymers have historically dominated both academic and industrial attention. Sustainable biodegradable wood plastic composite (WPC) as an optimum can solve the environmentally critical problems caused by petroleum-based polymers. WPC combines the ecological properties of wood with the processability of thermoplastic, which makes it an ecofriendly material. However, the flammability of WPCs limits their application in interior fields. Thereby, flame-retardant treatment for WPC is very necessary and can promote the application of WPC in public buildings and interior decoration, further enhancing their market value. In recent years, substantial emphasis was placed on the use of combination and synergies with conventional metal-, phosphorus-, boron-, silicon-, carbon-containing flame retardants. The combination and synergies via either chemical or physical methods have enabled tunable flame retardancy and mechanical performances for the resultant WPC. Although the multiple combination represents an effective strategy to create high-performance flame-retardant WPC, many key challenges remain to be addressed. In response to these challenges, it remains the focus of future research to study the effect of different thermoplastic matrix on the combustion mechanism of WPC, to develop flame-retardant systems suitable for WPC to form good interfacial compatibility and simultaneously improve flame-retardant efficiency and mechanical properties, and to reduce the toxicity during combustion are still the focus of future research.