Catalytic polymer self-cleavage for CO<sub>2</sub> generation before combustion empowers materials with fire safety.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38548723.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-46756-0 and PMC identifier 10978860.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Polymeric materials, rich in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements, present substantial fire hazards to both human life and property due to their intrinsic flammability. Overcoming this challenge in the absence of any flame-retardant elements is a daunting task. Herein, we introduce an innovative strategy employing catalytic polymer auto-pyrolysis before combustion to proactively release CO<sub>2</sub>, akin to possessing responsive CO<sub>2</sub> fire extinguishing mechanisms. We demonstrate that potassium salts with strong nucleophilicity (such as potassium formate/malate) can transform conventional polyurethane foam into materials with fire safety through rearrangement. This transformation results in the rapid generation of a substantial volume of CO<sub>2</sub>, occurring before the onset of intense decomposition, effectively extinguishing fires. The inclusion of just 1.05 wt% potassium formate can significantly raise the limiting oxygen index of polyurethane foam to 26.5%, increase the time to ignition by 927%, and tremendously reduce smoke toxicity by 95%. The successful application of various potassium salts, combined with a comprehensive examination of the underlying mechanisms, underscores the viability of this strategy. This pioneering catalytic approach paves the way for the efficient and eco-friendly development of polymeric materials with fire safety.