A fully bio-based, anti-flammable and non-toxic epoxy thermosetting network for flame-retardant coating applications

A fully bio-based epoxy thermosetting network was prepared by curing a renewable luteolin-derived epoxy resin (DGELU) with a furan-derived hardener, 5, 5′-methylenedifurfurylamine (DFA). For comparison, a control sample was prepared by curing the petroleum-based commercial epoxy diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with a petroleum-based hardener, 4, 4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM). The glass transition temperature (Tg) was found to be 216 °C for the cured DGELU/DFA, which was 67 °C higher than that of the cured DGEBA/DDM. The storage modulus at 30 °C and the tensile strength of the cured DGELU/DFA were 82.5 % and 23.2 % higher than those of the cured DGEBA/DDM. The benzopyrone unit of the luteolin structure was conducive to exceptional charring, and the char yield for thermal decomposition in the nitrogen of the cured DGELU/DFA was 3.2-fold higher than that for the cured DGEBA/DDM. As expected, the cured DGELU/DFA displays a relatively high limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 38.0 % and a UL-94 V-0 classification, whereas the petroleum-based counterpart exhibited a much lower LOI of 24.0 % and no classification in the UL-94 test. An in-vitro cytotoxicity study indicated that the cured DGELU/DFA showed no cytotoxic effect against normal fibroblast cells after 24 and 72 h. Because of these fascinating features, the DGELU/DFA thermosetting network was deposited onto wood surfaces for evaluation as a flame-retardant coating. Compared with the wood treated using the cured DGEBA/DDM coating, wood coated with the cured DGELU/DFA showed a super fire-safe property that could lead to a 55.8 %, 12.4 %, and 11.5 % decrease in peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke production (TSP), respectively. An anti-flammable, high strength and non-toxic bio-derived epoxy thermosetting network for highly safe epoxy coating applications has been developed. •A fully bio-based epoxy thermoset (DGELU/DFA) has been prepared from luteolin.•DGELU/DFA showed higher Tg and tensile strength than its petroleum-based counterpart.•DGELU/DFA displayed anti-flammability with a high LOI of 38.0 % and a UL-94 V-0 grade.•DGELU/DFA showed no cytotoxic effect against normal fibroblast cells.•DGELU/DFA is suitable as a flame-retardant and eco-friendly coating for wood.