Patent ID: 9624312
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: C08B,C08K,C08L

Claim:
1. A composite material, comprising: a polymer; a flame retardant modified cellulosic nanomaterial blended into the polymer, wherein the flame retardant modified cellulosic nanomaterial comprises a cellulosic nanomaterial having a surface functionalized to incorporate a phosphorus-containing moiety, wherein the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial is functionalized to incorporate the phosphorus-containing moiety by reacting a halogenated phosphorus-containing monomer and hydroxyl groups on the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial, wherein the cellulosic nanomaterial is selected from a group consisting of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), and combinations thereof, wherein the halogenated phosphorus-containing monomer is selected from a group consisting of diphenyl phosphoryl chloride, diphenylphosphinic chloride, and combinations thereof, wherein the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial is further functionalized to incorporate an orthogonal functionality selected to enhance the compatibility of the flame retardant modified cellulosic nanomaterial with the polymer, wherein the orthogonal functionality is separately appended to the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial relative to the phosphorus-containing moiety, wherein the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial is functionalized to incorporate the orthogonal functionality by reacting a compatibilizing monomer and remaining hydroxyl groups on the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial that remain after reacting the halogenated phosphorus-containing monomer and hydroxyl groups on the surface of the cellulosic nanomaterial, wherein the polymer is an epoxy-based polymer, and wherein the compatibilizing monomer is epichlorohydrin.