The flammability of epoxy resin (EP) extremely hampers its practical applications. To circumvent it, a graphene-based flame retardant (MZP-GO) was successfully synthesized by incorporating phosphorus, zinc, tin, and molybdate elements into graphene. The MZP-GO showed well-dispersed behavior in the EP matrix. After adding 2 wt% MZP-GO to the EP matrix, the fire test results showed a significant reduction in heat and smoke. Compared with pure EP, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), the total heat release (THR), the smoke production rate (SPR), and the total smoke production (TSP) were dramatically reduced by 62.9%, 43.0%, 52.7%, and 49.8%, respectively. Moreover, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value was improved from 25.4% to 29.7% and the sample could easily pass the UL-94 V-0 rating. This study provides a novel strategy to fabricate high-performance flame-retardant polymer materials with expandable practical applications.

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