ABSTRACT
Polymeric materials have been versatily utilized in constructing a wide range of products. Nevertheless, they undergo easy combustion on exposure to air, thereby generating elevated levels of toxified fumes and hazardous smoke, inducing death to individuals as well as huge property losses, which in turn, limit their scope of application. Thus, it has become imperative to improve the fire retardancy (FR), flame proof features and smoke repression performances of polymeric materials via addition of FRs. The emergence of nanotechnology has enhanced inclusion of metal organic frameworks (MOF) within polymeric matrices in order to improve their features, especially FR with the aim of enlarging their scope of application in segments susceptible to fire outbreak. MOFs are synergies of metallic hybrids and organic entities functioning to enhance the FR of polymeric matrices. Metallic portions within the MOF composition facilitates elevated thermo-stability and repression of smoke as well gases release as transitional metallics display outstanding FR during burning of polymeric matrices. Therefore, this paper presents FR mechanism of MOFs@polymeric nanoarchitectures and potential applications.
Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria and Prof Charles Esimone for Project-200 vision.
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Notes on contributors
Christopher Igwe Idumah
Engr. Dr. Christopher Igwe Idumah obtained his Ph.D. in Polymer Engineering, Distinction (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia), M.Eng (The Manchester University, England, UK), and B.Eng. (FUTO, Nigeria). He was trained by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen for SPDC Nigeria (SITP1). He is presently a Lecturer with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria and has been ranked amongst world Top 2% Scientists (2020-2022) by Stanford University, USA.
Felicitas U Iwuchukwu
Felicitas U. Iwuchukwu is a Doctoral Researcher with Clemson University, Department of Industrial Engineering, South Carolina, USA and a Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, UNIZIK, Nigeria.
Ifeanyi Okoye
Ifeanyi Okoye is presently a Doctoral Researcher with Hull University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hull, UK.
James Ekuma Ogbu
Asc. Prof. James Ogbu is a Reader with the Department of Technology and Vocational, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.