Nanomaterials to Improve Fire Properties in Wood and Wood-Based Composite Panels

Nanotechnology has already become the frontier of the twenty-first century. It plays the role of a scientific platform joining together various disciplines such as chemistry, physics, and material sciences. The development of modern technology is largely dependent on the availability of new types of materials; therefore, the nanostructured approach seems to be one of the key determinants of progress in general. The example of an innovative application for nanoparticles can be the protection of wood and wood-based composites against fire. The demand for these types of raw materials and wood-containing products is constantly growing; however, the directions of their applications may still expand with the use of effective protection measures. The choice of mineral nanomaterials, nano-oxides, nano-metals, or carbon-based nanomaterials for this use seems to be particularly reasonable due to their wide range of favorable features such as good barrier properties, high thermal conductivity, and many others. The already presented research concerns both the addition of the nanomaterials themselves and the implementation of nanomaterials in a combination with other fire retardants. They were found to be effective when incorporated into the wood plastic composites as the additives for polymers, wood-based materials as modifiers for fragmented wood and the adhesives, solid wood, and coating systems. Moreover, the addition of nanomaterials has a positive effect on many other properties of wood and wood products. It is especially important since these properties also determine the suitability in some applications. Taking into account the unique properties of nanomaterials and the constantly growing attention focused on the studies regarding their use in fire protection, this chapter presents the current knowledge on the development of new nanostructured solutions and suspensions for wood products protection against fire with special emphasis on mineral nanomaterials (montmorillonite, sepiolite, and wollastonite), nano-oxides (nano-silica and nano-metal oxides), nano-silver, and carbon-based nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes and graphene platelets).