Chapter 4: Mineral-derived Fire Retardants

Inorganic fire retardants are being used to improve the flame resistance of polymeric materials because of their non-toxicity and ability to form thermally stable char layers or reinforce the carbonaceous layer. This chapter covers the characteristics, fabrication and applications of some inorganic flame retardants, including aluminum hydroxide (ATH), magnesium hydroxide (MH), layered double hydroxide (LDH), nanoclay and other minerals (e.g., fly ash, sodium silicate, kaolin, huntite, hydromagnesite, and boehmite). Meanwhile, their fire-retardant mechanisms are also highlighted. This chapter also presents the disadvantages of these mineral-derived fire retardants and proposes some possible future directions.