ePrints

Heat release of polymer composites in fire

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Adrian Mouritz, Professor Geoff Gibson

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

The relationship between heat release rate and other fire reaction properties of fibre reinforced polymer composite materials is investigated. The heat release rate and fire reaction properties of thermoset matrix composites reinforced with combustible fibres (aramid, extended-chain polyethylene) or non-combustible fibres (glass, carbon) were determined over a range of heat flux levels using the oxygen consumption cone calorimeter technique. The fire reaction properties that were measured were time-to-ignition, smoke density, carbon monoxide yield, carbon dioxide yield, mass loss rate and total mass loss. It is discovered that these reaction properties (apart from ignition time) are linearly related to the heat release rate for composites containing non-combustible fibres. When the reinforcement is combustible, however, the heat release rate only appears to be related to the carbon monoxide yield, mass loss rate and (in some cases) smoke density. This study clearly shows the importance of the relationship between heat release rate with smoke density and carbon monoxide yield, the two reaction properties that influence the survival of humans in fire. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Mouritz AP, Mathys Z, Gibson AG

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

Year: 2006

Volume: 37

Issue: 7

Pages: 1040-1054

ISSN (print): 1359-835X

ISSN (electronic):

Publisher: Pergamon

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.01.030

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.01.030

Altmetrics

Share