Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Mg/Al Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) Coatings on Medium Density Fiberboards (MDFs) with Flame Retardancy

The hydrophilicity and flammability of fiberboards have limited their real-life applications. In this study, a facile strategy for preparing the multifunctional coatings with superhydrophobicity and flame retardancy on medium density fiberboards (MDFs) has been investigated. The superhydrophobic and flame-retardant coating on the MDF surface was obtained by depositing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS)-modified Mg/Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) particles step by step. The as-prepared coating exhibited superhydrophobic properties with a water contact angle (WCA) of ~155° and good self-cleaning properties. Furthermore, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of the superhydrophobic MDFs increased by 60.4% as compared to that of the pristine MDFs, showing improved flame retardancy. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of MDFs decreased after coating with PDMS@FDTS-Mg/Al LDH, suggesting that the superhydrophobic coating decreased the fire growth speed and risk of fire hazard of MDFs. This coating with multiple functions opens a new avenue for the protection and functionalization of MDFs.