Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid

Wenjie Yang; Zhendong Li; Qian Chen; Shengtao Zhang; Shouhu Xuan; Anthony Chun Yin Yuen; Wei Yang

doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.109864

Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid

Wenjie Yang (Co-first Author)
, Zhendong Li (Co-first Author)
, Qian Chen
, Shengtao Zhang
, Shouhu Xuan
, Anthony Chun Yin Yuen^*
, Wei Yang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) suffers from inherent brittleness, flammability, and poor UV resistance, which significantly limit its practical applications. Conventional additives often exhibit single functionality and tend to reduce the crystallinity of polymers, leading to a deterioration in mechanical properties. In this study, a multifunctional bio-based additive (HVB) was synthesized by introducing amide groups into vanillin-modified hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. The molecular interactions formed between the amide groups in HVB and PLA further promoted the enhancement of PLA crystallinity. Consequently, both the tensile strength and elongation at break of PLA were remarkably improved. When the HVB loading was 3 wt%, the composite exhibited a 3.4% increase in tensile strength and a 75.8% improvement in elongation at break, while achieving a UL-94 V-0 flame-retardant rating. Furthermore, molecular simulations combined with experimental characterizations were employed to elucidate the carbonization and free-radical-trapping mechanisms of the flame retardant. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.

Original language	English
Article number	109864
Number of pages	9
Journal	Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
Volume	207
Online published	18 Apr 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.109864
Publication status	Published - Aug 2026

Funding

This work was co-financed by National Natural Science Foundation of China (22302052), Startup Fund for Distinguished Scholars in Hefei University (24RC40), PolyU UGC fundings (P0044994) and (P0052426), the Hong Kong General Research Fund-Early Career Scheme (25200925), Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Safety and Emergency Management in Hefei University (2024GD0002), Natural Science Foundation in University of Anhui Province (2023AH052190 and 2022AH040251) and Excellent Scientific Research and Innovation Team in University of Anhui Province (2022AH010096 and 2023AH010050).

Research Keywords

Flameretardancy
Moleculardynamics simulation
Polylactic acid
Toughness

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RGC-funded

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10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.109864

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title = "Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid",

abstract = "Polylactic acid (PLA) suffers from inherent brittleness, flammability, and poor UV resistance, which significantly limit its practical applications. Conventional additives often exhibit single functionality and tend to reduce the crystallinity of polymers, leading to a deterioration in mechanical properties. In this study, a multifunctional bio-based additive (HVB) was synthesized by introducing amide groups into vanillin-modified hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. The molecular interactions formed between the amide groups in HVB and PLA further promoted the enhancement of PLA crystallinity. Consequently, both the tensile strength and elongation at break of PLA were remarkably improved. When the HVB loading was 3 wt\%, the composite exhibited a 3.4\% increase in tensile strength and a 75.8\% improvement in elongation at break, while achieving a UL-94 V-0 flame-retardant rating. Furthermore, molecular simulations combined with experimental characterizations were employed to elucidate the carbonization and free-radical-trapping mechanisms of the flame retardant. {\textcopyright} 2026 Elsevier Ltd.",

keywords = "Flameretardancy, Moleculardynamics simulation, Polylactic acid, Toughness",

author = "Wenjie Yang and Zhendong Li and Qian Chen and Shengtao Zhang and Shouhu Xuan and \{Yin Yuen\}, \{Anthony Chun\} and Wei Yang",

year = "2026",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.109864",

language = "English",

volume = "207",

journal = "Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing",

issn = "1359-835X",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid. / Yang, Wenjie (Co-first Author); Li, Zhendong (Co-first Author); Chen, Qian et al.
In: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 207, 109864, 08.2026.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid

AU - Yang, Wenjie

AU - Li, Zhendong

AU - Chen, Qian

AU - Zhang, Shengtao

AU - Xuan, Shouhu

AU - Yin Yuen, Anthony Chun

AU - Yang, Wei

PY - 2026/8

Y1 - 2026/8

N2 - Polylactic acid (PLA) suffers from inherent brittleness, flammability, and poor UV resistance, which significantly limit its practical applications. Conventional additives often exhibit single functionality and tend to reduce the crystallinity of polymers, leading to a deterioration in mechanical properties. In this study, a multifunctional bio-based additive (HVB) was synthesized by introducing amide groups into vanillin-modified hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. The molecular interactions formed between the amide groups in HVB and PLA further promoted the enhancement of PLA crystallinity. Consequently, both the tensile strength and elongation at break of PLA were remarkably improved. When the HVB loading was 3 wt%, the composite exhibited a 3.4% increase in tensile strength and a 75.8% improvement in elongation at break, while achieving a UL-94 V-0 flame-retardant rating. Furthermore, molecular simulations combined with experimental characterizations were employed to elucidate the carbonization and free-radical-trapping mechanisms of the flame retardant. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.

AB - Polylactic acid (PLA) suffers from inherent brittleness, flammability, and poor UV resistance, which significantly limit its practical applications. Conventional additives often exhibit single functionality and tend to reduce the crystallinity of polymers, leading to a deterioration in mechanical properties. In this study, a multifunctional bio-based additive (HVB) was synthesized by introducing amide groups into vanillin-modified hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene. The molecular interactions formed between the amide groups in HVB and PLA further promoted the enhancement of PLA crystallinity. Consequently, both the tensile strength and elongation at break of PLA were remarkably improved. When the HVB loading was 3 wt%, the composite exhibited a 3.4% increase in tensile strength and a 75.8% improvement in elongation at break, while achieving a UL-94 V-0 flame-retardant rating. Furthermore, molecular simulations combined with experimental characterizations were employed to elucidate the carbonization and free-radical-trapping mechanisms of the flame retardant. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.

KW - Flameretardancy

KW - Moleculardynamics simulation

KW - Polylactic acid

KW - Toughness

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DO - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.109864

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1359-835X

VL - 207

JO - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

JF - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

M1 - 109864

ER -

Amide-based bio-derived flame retardant enhances the fire retardancy, toughness, and UV-aging resistance of polylactic acid

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Research Keywords

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