6. Conclusion and new trends

After outlining the reaction-to-fire properties of polymeric materials and the main tests designed to assess them, this article looks at the main types of nanoparticles of interest for improving the fire behavior of polymer matrices. It appears that processing methods are essential to obtain the nanostructures needed to achieve significant improvements in properties related to reaction to fire, particularly the reduction of maximum heat output during combustion. However, to achieve performance comparable to that of high-performance flame retardants, nanoparticles need to be combined with other constituents in novel flame retardant systems, making it possible to replace those containing halogenated flame retardants, which are in the process of being banned in Western Europe. New trends in the use of nanoparticles in flame-retardant systems are linked to the development of new types of nanoparticles,...