Simultaneous improvements in fire resistance and alarm response of GO paper via one-step 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane functionalization for efficient fire safety and prevention

A flame-retardant graphene oxide (GO) based nanocomposite paper was prepared for efficient fire alarm response via a one-step and green 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) functionalization process. Such MPTS modification not only improves thermal stability and flame resistance of GO network, but produces ultra-fast flame detection and efficient fire early warning response. Typically, the MPTS-GO-10 wt% paper shows a flame detection response signal of about 1.0 s and improved fire early warning response time at a relatively temperature of 200 °C. The structural observation and analysis suggest that the thermal reduction behavior of GO network can be promoted by the sulfydryl groups of MPTS molecules at high temperature, thus producing the rapid and sensitive transition of electrical resistance form insulating GO into conductive reduced GO network. The MPTS functionalization developed here show promising to tailor fire early warning response of flame-retardant GO based fire alarm sensor for potential fire safety and prevention applications.