A multifunctional cellulose paper with excellent flame retardancy, hydrophobicity and oil/water-separation performance via reaction with ammonium phytate and poly(methylhydrosiloxane)

Paper-based materials have become increasingly prevalent in the packaging and daily life. However, paper is flammable and hydrophilic, hindering its widespread application. Here, a novel reactive flame retardant of m-xylylenediamine phytate ammonium (MPAP) was prepared. Cellulose paper with superior flame-retardant and hydrophobic properties was successfully prepared by surface spraying technology and impregnation process, through the reaction of flame retardant and poly(methylhydrosiloxane) (PMHS) with cellulose fibers. The water contact angle (WCA) of the modified paper was 122.6°, while the limit oxygen index (LOI) value reached 41%, which had significant self-extinguishing performance. The total heat release rate of the modified paper was reduced from 12.8 kJ/g to 0.6 kJ/g. The modified paper also exhibited excellent performance for oil/water separation. Furthermore, this effective and simple strategy can also be applied to other cellulose-contained substrates for the application in construction, textiles, furniture and other fields.