Nanoarchitectonics of flame retardant leather: Current status and future perspectives

• Systematic analysis of the effect of flame retardants on leather in different leather processing processes. • Flame retardant and smoke suppression mechanisms were summarized for the leather during combustion. • A systematic prospect of the flame retardant development of leather. Leather is widely used in civilian and military footwear, automobile interiors, and office furniture due to its excellent comprehensive properties such as breathability, comfort, wear resistance, and puncture resistance. However, as the standards of living increase, the demands on the functionality and the performance of leather-based materials increase to a large extent. In particular, the loss of life and property damage caused by fires has become more serious in recent years. In response to this growing threat, it is particularly important to introduce flame retardants (FR) into leather through proper methods to endow leather-based materials with excellent flame retardant properties. This review focuses on the research progress in making flame retardant leather, including the evaluation index of flame retardant performance, the classification of FR, preparation methods for flame retardant leather, the influence of FR on the leather properties, and the corresponding mechanisms for these effects. Finally, future trends and possible challenges in crafting flame retardant leather are proposed.