Intercalation of modified zanthoxylum bungeanum maxin seed oil/ stearate in layered double hydroxide: Toward flame retardant nanocomposites

Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim Seed Oil (ZBMSO) is widely distributed in most parts of China, which cannot be edible and extensively consumed due to its high free fatty acids. This paper reports a rational route to utilization of ZBMSO in preparation of nanocomposites which can enhance leather flame retardancy and thermal stability. ZBMSO was synthesized through three-stage process, decoloration, acid reduction and sulfitation to prepare the modified ZBMSO fatliquoring agent (MZBMSO). Then nanocomposites based on MZBMSO and stearate-layered double hydroxide (s-LDH) were prepared via in-situ method. XRD and TEM results indicated that the MZBMSO intercalate into the galleries of s-LDH with uniform dispersion. Compared with MZBMSO, the leather treated by MZBMSO/s-LDH had a remarkable improvement on flame retardancy and superior softness which limiting oxygen index (LOI) increased from 23.6% to 28.0% and smoke density index decreased from 25 to 6.