Biomimetic construction of hierarchical MXene@PDA@CoFeOx nanohybrids towards efficient fire-safe epoxy nanocomposites with enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical properties

• Published in: Polymer degradation and stability Vol. 215; p. 110444
• Main Authors: Lian, Richeng, Jiang, Yunpeng, Guan, Haocun, Cui, Jiahui, Gao, Qingyao, Liu, Lei, Chen, Xilei, Jiao, Chuanmei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2023
• Subjects: adhesion; Biomimetic hierarchical nanohybrids; biomimetics; carbonization; combustion; degradation; epoxides; Fire safety; heat; impact strength; Mechanical performance; modulus of rupture; Mxene; nanohybrids; nitrogen; polymer nanocomposites; polymers; smoke; Thermal conductivity; thermal stability; thermogravimetry; Thermal conductivity; Biomimetic hierarchical nanohybrids; Mxene; Mechanical performance; Fire safety
• ISSN: 0141-3910; 1873-2321
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2023.110444

•A hierarchical MXene@PDA@CoFeOx has been constructed by a biomimetic strategy.•MXene@PDA@CoFeOx allows EP to easily achieve a UL-94 V0 rating.•MXene@PDA@CoFeOx endows EP with efficient flame retardancy and smoke suppression.•MXene@PDA@CoFeOx improves the thermal conductivity and mechanical performance of EP. Developing high-performance MXene-based polymer nanocomposites through a biomimetic method has been a research hotspot. However, it is still an intractable challenge to achieve MXene-based polymer nanocomposites with efficient fire safety, excellent thermal conductivity, and enhanced mechanical properties. Here, inspired by the adhesion of mussels, the hierarchical MXene@PDA@CoFeOx nanohybrid was fabricated by a self-assembly strategy and then employed to prepare epoxy resin (EP) nanocomposites. It has been found that MXene@PDA@CoFeOx can display excellent dispersion and interfacial compatibility in EP matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that only 2.0 wt% MXene@PDA@CoFeOx results in excellent thermal stability and char yield (31.29 wt%) of EP under a nitrogen atmosphere. Combustion tests show that the 2.0 wt% MXene@PDA@CoFeOx confers efficient fire safety to EP. Remarkably, the EP-2.0%MXene@PDA@CoFeOx can obtain an attractive UL-94 rating of V0. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate (pHRR), smoke factor (SF), and peak CO production rate (pCO) of EP-2.0%MXene@PDA@CoFeOx are dramatically decreased by 33.38%, 55.41%, and 36.84% in comparison to those of virgin EP, respectively. The efficient fire safety of EP nanocomposites is mainly attributed to the barrier effect, dilution effect, and catalytic carbonization effect of hierarchical MXene@PDA@CoFeOx. Furthermore, the MXene@PDA@CoFeOx enables EP to boast enhanced thermal conductivity (improved by 69.14%), impact strength (improved by 13.38%), and flexural strength (improved by 17.60%). This work offers a feasible biomimetic method for fabricating hierarchical MXene@PDA@CoFeOx nanohybrids and preparing efficient fire-safe EP nanocomposites with excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical performance. [Display omitted]