Graphene and phosphorus make fire-stopping foam

Flower with polymer foam resting on top

Source: American Chemical Society

Flame retardant hybrid material is light enough to sit on the petals of a flower

A lightweight but strong plastic almost twice as fire retardant as similar materials has been made by researchers in China and South Korea. The key to the material’s ability to keep flames at bay are small amounts of graphene combined with an element best known for its role in making, rather than stopping, fire: phosphorus.