1. Introduction

Controlling the fire behavior of polymers is an extremely important issue, since it is intimately linked to the safety of people and property in the event of a fire. Since the late 1990s, some of the traditional solutions for fireproofing polymers have been called into question because of health and environmental concerns. At the same time, the rise of nanotechnologies has led to the development of nanomaterials and opened up the possibility of incorporating nanometric-sized additives into polymers to improve their functional properties. The use of nanoparticles as constituents of flame-retardant systems has thus emerged as a new and possible alternative for improving the fire reaction of polymers. The fire reaction of nanocomposites has become an important topic, involving players from both academia and industry.

The aim of this dossier is to present the different...