Towards advanced flame retardant organic coatings: Expecting a new function from polyaniline

[Display omitted] •Highlighted the importance of conductive polymers in coating applications.•Looked at flame retardancy performance of organic coatings as a whole.•Explained the role of polyaniline (PANI) in advanced materials and systems.•Provided examples in which PANI is considered for its thermal properties.•Described flame retardancy character of PANI and drew future perspective. The necessity of research on flame retardancy has directed attentions toward development of advanced coating systems in order to meet requirements of competitive markets. As a result, a wide range of organic coating materials were developed in the quest of higher flame retardancy performance. Polyaniline (PANI) as a promising conductive polymer has been widely considered for various applications, and it quite frequently took credit for the success. This article deals with the benefits expecting from PANI in advanced flame retardant systems in view of its extraordinary fire retardancy performance. The necessity of study on potentially high thermal stability and flame retardancy of advanced coating systems containing PANI was also discussed. There is a belief that identifying the worth of PANI as the most famous member of conductive polymers may help determine the locus of PANI in an inevitable shift from general-purpose to advanced flame retardant (FR) systems in which PANI plays a dual role. Harmoniously, ongoing progress in the knowledge and technology of FR coating systems would enliven emerging technologies for utilizing organic materials in response to increasing demand for PANI-based systems with an additional flame retardancy mission in the near future.