Novel carbon microspheres prepared by xylose decorated with layered double hydroxide as an effective eco-friendly flame retardant for polypropylene

To overcome the flammable defects of polypropylene (PP) and expand its application in more fields, it is imperative to develop PP composites with fire retardance, smoke suppression, and mechanical strength. Here, inspired by the structure of the dandelion flowers, a core-shell CMSs@LDHs flame retardant was prepared by growing LDHs nanoflakes on the surface of CMSs to combine the excellent flame retardancy of CMSs with the advanced smoke suppression of LDHs, and then it was applied into PP matrix through melt blending to satisfy the fire safety requirements of PP. With the addition of 20 wt% CMSs@LDHs, the PP/CMSs@LDHs composite passed the vertical combustion tests (UL-94) V-0 rating, and its limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of it also reached 28.9 %. The peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke production (TSP) of the PP/CMSs@LDHs were also decreased by 46.5 %, 30.8 %, and 11.9 %, respectively, compared with those of the Neat PP. [Display omitted] •The synthetic raw materials of CMSs are renewable.•The core-shell structure was synthesized based on the flower structure of dandelion.•CMSs act as the carrier of LDHs and promote the dispersion of LDHs.•LOI of PP/CMSs@LDHs (20 wt%) reached 28.9 % and samples can pass the UL-94 V-0 rating.