Background: From its discovery, graphene has become a very fascinating nanomaterial,thanks to its structure that determines peculiar (and unique) mechanical, electrical and thermal properties.Thus, graphene has stimulated and is still motivating several researchers to widen its potentialitiesthat are currently being exploited in different application sectors, comprising catalysis and energy,nanoelectronics, quantum physics and the design and manufacturing of advanced nanocomposite materialsand biomaterials. Being a carbon source, already organized in a well-ordered morphology, grapheneis nowadays starting to experience a different application, i.e. in the fire retardancy of polymers,foams and textiles, often in combination with other flame retardant additives or nanofillers, withwhich graphene can often act in a synergistic way. In fact, it is well reported in the scientific literaturethat graphene and its derivatives can play a key role either in slowing down the flame propagation oreven in providing self-extinction to the thermoplastic or thermosetting matrices, where the nanofilleris incorporated in; furthermore, by exploiting surface engineered approaches, it is possible to designvery effective flame retardant coatings on textile substrates.Objective: This paper aims at reviewing the current state-of-the-art about the use of graphene and itsderivatives as efficient flame retardant additives for different polymeric materials, highlighting thecurrent limitations/achievements and discussing some possible future developments.
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