Flame Retardant/Thermal Protection Nanocoatings: Meeting Industrial Challenges of Layer-by-Layer Assembly

Polymeric materials are widely used in every day applications, despite being highly flammable. In an effort to decrease the flammability of these materials, environmentally-benign nanocoatings have been deposited on common polymeric substrates via layer-by-layer assembly. This technique has recently gained immense interest, as it allows for nanoscale control of thickness and composition, ambient processing, and enables the incorporation of different components necessary for flame suppression. Despite the versatility and ease of layer-by-layer assembly, there are still a few drawbacks associated with this technique that make it challenging to commercialize. This dissertation describes work done to develop sustainable, flame retardant nanocoatings for commodity polymers, with each study having a specific aim of overcoming industrial challenges of layer-by-layer assembly, including practicality, preservability, and processability