Wet Spinning of Flame-Retardant Cellulosic Fibers Supported by Interfacial Complexation of Cellulose Nanofibrils with Silica Nanoparticles

The inherent flammability of cellulosic fibers limits their use in some advanced applications. This work demonstrates for the first time the production of flame-retardant macroscopic fibers from wood-derived cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and silica nanoparticles (SNP). The fibers are made by extrusion of aqueous suspensions of anionic CNF into a coagulation bath of cationic SNP at an acidic pH. As a result, the fibers with a CNF core and a SNP thin shell are produced through interfacial complexation. Silica-modified nanocellulose fibers with a diameter of ca. 15 μm, a titer of ca. 3 dtex and a tenacity of ca. 13 cN tex –1 are shown. The flame retardancy of the fibers is demonstrated, which is attributed to the capacity of SNP to promote char forming and heat insulation on the fiber surface.