In　recent　years,　developing　sustainable　and　environmentally　friendly　bio-based　flame　retardants　has　become　an　essential　direction　for　the　flame　retardant　modification　of　epoxy　resin.　Dopamine　and　its　derivatives　have　widespread　application　prospects　in　the　flame　retardant　field　due　to　their　excellent　carbon-forming　properties,　synergistic　flame　retardant　effects,　and　low　toxic　smoke.　In　this　paper,　nickel　chloride　hexahydrate,　dopamine　and　phytic　acid　were　used　as　raw　materials　to　synthesise　phytic　acid-modified　nickel-ion-loaded　polydopamine　nanosheets　(PA@Ni-PDA)　for　enhancing　the　flame　retardant　and　mechanical　properties　of　EP.　The　flame　retardant　results　showed　that　EP/3PA@Ni-PDA　composites　with　only　3　wt%　PA@Ni-PDA　achieved　a　UL-94　V-0　rating,　and　the　LOI　value　increased　to　28.3　%.　Compared　to　pure　EP,　the　peak　heat　release　rate,　peak　CO　production　rate　and　smoke　production　rate　of　EP/3PA@Ni-PDA　composites　declined　by　26.3　%,　39.5　%　and　24.9　%,　respectively.　These　excellent　results　are　due　to　the　unique　lamellar　structure　of　PA@Ni-PDA　acting　as　an　effective　physical　barrier,　free　radicals　and　catalytic　carbonation　function.　Furthermore,　the　tensile　and　bending　strength　of　the　EP/　2PA@Ni-PDA　composites　was　increased　by　53.5　%　and　14.1　%.　This　study　provides　a　novel　research　concept　for　developing　flame　retardant　fillers　from　bio-based　sources.　©　2025