Heterolayered Boron Nitride/Polyaniline/Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets for Flame-Retardant Epoxy Resins

The heterolayered architecture design is capable of assembling different nanomaterials into a multifunctional nanohybrid. Herein, based on an electrostatic-driven self-assembly process, polyaniline-modified boron nitride (BN/PANI) nanosheets are fixated onto the surface of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets, thus forming a multifunctional heterolayered architecture nanohybrid. Based on the barrier effect of BN nanosheets and the Lewis acid catalysis effect and the chain rearrangement effect of MoS2, the prepared BN/PANI/MoS2 presents a desirable enhancement effect in the flame retardancy and toxic smoke suppression of epoxy resins. Meanwhile, in a high-temperature environment, the charge carrier produced by MoS2 nanosheets is rapidly transferred by electric BN/PANI, thus accelerating the formation of a protective char layer. It was found that 5.0 wt % addition of BN/PANI/MoS2, respectively, leads to decreases of 23.7, 9.1, 11.1, and 29.9% to the peak heat release rate, total heat release, peak smoke release rate, and total smoke release. In this work, in terms of the design of heterolayered architecture, the unique function of solo nanomaterial is effectively integrated to obtain the optimal effect, thus promoting the application of nanohybrids in polymer composites.