Tenebrio molitor Beetle as a “Nonvegan” Adjuvant to Flame Retardants in Tannic Acid-Based Epoxy Thermosets

Material solutions that meet both circular bioeconomy policies and high technical requirements have become a matter of particular interest. In this work, a prospectively abundant protein-rich waste resource for the manufacturing of flame-retardant epoxy biocomposites, as well as for the synthesis of biobased flame retardants or adjuvants, is introduced. Different biomass fillers sourced from the cultivation of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor are embedded in a bioepoxy resin cured with tannic acid and investigated regarding the fire performance of the thermosets. By means of spectroscopic and thermal analysis (attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis-coupled FTIR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry), the influence of the biomass microparticles on the curing and thermal degradation behavior is evaluated. The final performance of the biocomposites is assessed based on fire testing methodology (limited oxygen index, UL-94, and cone calorimetry). Providing a high charring efficiency in the specific tannic acid-based epoxy matrix, the protein-rich adult beetle is further investigated in combination with commercial environmentally benign flame retardants in view of its potential as an adjuvant. The results highlight a char forming effect of nonvegan fillers in the presence of tannic acid, particularly during thermal decomposition, and point toward the potential of protein-based flame retardants from industrial insect rearing for future formulations.