(734b) 3D Printing of Bioinspired Flame Retardant Composites

The flame-retardant and thermal management structures have attracted great attention due to the requirement in high-temperature exposure in industrial, aerospace, and thermal power fields. But the development of protective fire-retardant structures with complex shapes to fit arbitrary surface is still challenging. Herein, we reported a rotate blade casting-assisted 3D printing process to fabricate nacre-inspired thermally controllable and fire-retardant structures with high toughness and complex shapes. 3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSPMA) modified Boron Nitride nanoplatelets were aligned (a-BNs) by rotate blade casting during the 3D printing process to build the ‘brick and mortar’ architecture. The 3D printed structures are more lightweight, while having higher fracture toughness than the natural nacre, which is attributed to the crack deflection, a-BNs bridging and pull outs reinforced by the covalent bonding between TMSPMA grafted a-BNs and polymer matrix. 3D printed helmet and armor with aligned BNs show improved mechanical and fire-retardant property than natural nacre, demonstrating integrated mechanical and thermal protection.