Biomimetic Non-toxic Flame Retardant Materials from Sustainable Processes

Fire resistant materials contribute to increased safety and protection of people in a wide variety of situations. Yet, the flame retardant chemicals that are used to impart this protection are themselves increasingly being found to pose an environmental and human health threat. Brominated organic molecules, the largest class of flame retardant, have been shown to persist in the environment and to be toxic to humans. Studies are increasingly showing that other flame retardant chemicals, including the organophosphates, have the same problems. TIAX LLC proposes to develop a new flame retardant material inspired by the flame retardant strategies found in nature, to demonstrate its effectiveness and to show that it is unlikely to be toxic either to humans or our environment.