A functionally engineered coating with excellent organic–inorganic compatibility enables the fabrication of fire-retardant and hazard-responsive wood materials

Applying flame-retardant coatings on wood surfaces is a simple yet effective strategy to mitigate fire hazards. However, most coatings provide only passive protection. In this work, a multifunctional flame-retardant and early-warning coating (LA@M@AE) was developed through the synergistic integration of two-dimensional materials. In this system, acrylic-intercalated CaAl-layered double hydroxides (LA) act as flame retardants, while Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanosheets are introduced into a waterborne acrylic emulsion (AE) system as thermal warning agents. The composite coating was successfully applied to wood, resulting in a functional material (LA@M@AE@Wood) with both fire resistance and hazard detection capabilities. Microscopy and particle size analysis revealed that the composite maintained good dispersion. This is attributed to the electrostatic interaction between the layered LA and MXene structures, promoting strong organic–inorganic compatibility and preventing aggregation. Functionally, LA@M 4 @AE@Wood exhibited rapid fire warning within ∼8 s, with a full response cycle completed in ∼14 s. It also showed significantly enhanced flame-retardant properties, including the lowest peak heat release rate (334.99 kW/m 2 ), representing a 55.97 % reduction compared to unmodified AE@Wood. Additional benefits included lower total heat release, reduced CO and CO 2 production, decreased smoke generation, and higher char residue. This work demonstrates a promising approach for the development of smart, flame-retardant wood materials with real-time hazard response, providing new insights into next-generation fire-safe wood coatings.