Flame-retardant strategies for lignocellulose: recent progress and prospect

• Combustion behavior of lignocellulose and its flame-retardant mechanism are reviewed. • Recent advances in flame retardants for lignocellulose are systematically evaluated. • Novel strategies for integrating flame retardants into lignocellulose are examined. • Key challenges and future directions for sustainable flame retardants are proposed. Lignocellulose offers significant promise as a renewable and environmentally sustainable material for construction, while its inherent combustibility poses a major challenge to its widespread application, especially in fire-sensitive environments. In this review, the combustion behavior of lignocellulose and the key mechanisms underlying its flame-retardant strategies are examined. Various classes of flame retardants (FRs), categorized based on the functional elements, are discussed in terms of their flame-retardant mechanisms and interactions with lignocellulosic substrates. Emerging approaches that integrate FRs are explored and compared, with a focus on enhancing flame resistance while minimizing their adverse effects on material properties. Finally, the review concludes with an outlook on current challenges and future research directions, shedding the light to develop more effective, durable, and sustainable flame-retardant solutions for lignocellulose-based materials.