Multifunctional Melamine Formaldehyde Composite Foam for High-Temperature Insulation, Flame Retardancy, and Oil–Water Separation

Abstract

Melamine formaldehyde (MF) foams, although widely used in heat insulation and as flame retardants due to their unique combination of low thermal conductivity and high flame retardancy, are prone to rapid collapse, which is extremely dangerous. Herein, we report a hydrophobic composite foam with a hierarchical structure. This foam was prepared through in situ incorporation of palygorskite and sodium alginate (Pal-SA) composite aerogels into the MF foam via the ambient pressure drying method and then through methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) chemical vapor deposition. The composite foam exhibited high-temperature thermal stability, excellent flame retardancy, and low smoke emission (2.5 m 2 / m 2 ), which is ∼17 times lower than that of the pure MF. The foam prepared in the present work has excellent application prospects in offshore oil-spill treatment, high-temperature insulation, and flame retardancy. Moreover, the results of this work may provide guidance for developing low-smoke flame-retardant materials.

Water-Resistant and Thermal Insulation Aerogels Based on Polymers toward a Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Sensor

“…The fire safety of a material is determined by the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and peak heat release rate (PHRR). The PVA aerogel is a highly flammable material with an extremely low LOI (19.2%), while MF is a flame retardant with an LOI of 33.9% . However, because of its brittleness, it is difficult to form stable MF aerogels.…”

“…The PVA aerogel is a highly flammable material with an extremely low LOI (19.2%), while MF is a flame retardant with an LOI of 33.9%. 57 However, because of its brittleness, it is difficult to form stable MF aerogels. However, the mechanical and thermal stabilities of the PVA-MF composite aerogel were effectively improved with the introduction of MF into PVA.…”

Effortless impregnation method for melamine formaldehyde foams exhibiting elevated thermal stability and exceptional flame retardant characteristics

“…Melamine‐formaldehyde foam has drawn much attention in the last decades due to its special properties such as intrinsic flame resistance, efficient thermal insulation, outstanding corrosion resistance, good sound adsorption and so on 11–14 . Particularly, MF foam shows obvious advantages for fire‐proofing properties compared with other conventional polymer foams, e.g., polyurethane, polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene, which are highly susceptible to fire 15,16 …”

“…[11][12][13][14] Particularly, MF foam shows obvious advantages for fireproofing properties compared with other conventional polymer foams, e.g., polyurethane, polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene, which are highly susceptible to fire. 15,16 The fire retardant property of MF foam results from its unique decomposition process. That is, MF can quickly produce inflammable inert N-containing gases during combustion, which dilute the concentration of combustible volatiles and oxygen, thus effectively suppressing the combustion.…”

Internal Superwettability Inversion of a COF-Encapsulated Melamine Sponge Prepared by a One-Step Synthesis at Room Temperature

“…Thus, the switchable wettability materials for oil–water separation can be categorized into membranes and adsorbents. Among them, adsorbent materials (e.g., melamine, polyurethane, and wood sponge) have the advantages of long channel, easy recycling, high mechanical strength, low cost, and high porosity and adsorption capacity, more in line with the economic and environmental protection requirements for dealing with accidents such as oil and chemical spills. − …”