Fire Hazard of Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites

A special issue of Fire (ISSN 2571-6255).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 4160

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Independent Department of Environment Protection and Modelling, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
Interests: polymer chemistry and technology; process engineering; organic chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The extensive use of polymer materials in our everyday lives is driven by a combination of their remarkable properties, e.g., low weight or easy processing. However, most polymers are flammable, which is extremely dangerous for people using them. The high flammability of most polymers is a consequence of their chemical build. The high content of carbon and hydrogen in their structures makes them combustible. The combustion of polymeric materials results in the production of corrosive and toxic gases as well as smoke. Smoke very often is a carrier of cancerogenic and mutagenic organic gaseous destructs, mainly from the PAHs and PCDDs/Fs groups.

The development of flame-retardant materials and the understanding of phenomena that take place during the combustion of polymer composites require collaboration between macromolecular and physical chemistry, as well as physics of mass and heat transfer, rheology, etc.

Improving the fire-retardant behavior of polymeric composites is a major challenge for extending their use to most applications.

The main focus of this Special Issue concerns the following topics:

  • Fundamentals of the polymer combustion process, toxicity of combustion products, thermal stability, heat transfer, and smoke emission during combustion;
  • Flame-retardant mechanisms of action;
  • Novel flame-retardant systems for polymer composites (flame-retardant co-monomers and co-polymers, additive flame-retardant systems);
  • Influence of nanotechnology on flame retardancy of polymer composites.

Dr. PrzemysŁaw Rybiński
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • flame retardants, non-halogen flame retardants
  • intumescent flame-retardant system
  • polymer composites and nanocomposites
  • flame-retardant mechanism action
  • surface modification of polymer composites
  • smoke and toxicity reduction
  • fire safety regulations
 

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 24883 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Effects of Titanium-Based MOFs MIL-125 with Intumescent Flame Retardants in ABS Polymer Composites on Flame Retardancy Study
by Zhuoran Zhang, Yufeng Quan, Ruiqing Shen, Kun-Yu Wang, Hong-Cai Zhou and Qingsheng Wang
Fire 2024, 7(8), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7080284 - 14 Aug 2024
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Abstract
The intumescent flame retardant (IFR) technique is an alternative to halogen-based flame retardants for reducing fire hazards in polymers. However, IFR has drawbacks like unsatisfactory flame-retardant efficiency and high loading requirements. In this study, MIL-125 (Ti-based metal–organic framework) is added to ABS/IFR composites [...] Read more.
The intumescent flame retardant (IFR) technique is an alternative to halogen-based flame retardants for reducing fire hazards in polymers. However, IFR has drawbacks like unsatisfactory flame-retardant efficiency and high loading requirements. In this study, MIL-125 (Ti-based metal–organic framework) is added to ABS/IFR composites to improve flame retardancy and reduce smoke emissions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate that combining ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and expandable graphite (EG) increases charred residue and slows mass loss compared with the original ABS resin. The ABS/IFR/MIL-125 system stabilizes the char layer, serving as a protective shield against combustible gases during combustion. Additionally, MIL-125 enhances performance in microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) flammability testing. In fire tests (UL-94, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and cone calorimeter), the ABS/IFR/MIL-125 system achieves a UL-94 V0 rating and the highest LOI value of 31.5% ± 0.1%. Peak heat lease rate (PHRR) values in the cone calorimeter are reduced by 72% with 20 wt.% of additives, and smoke production decreases by 53% compared with neat ABS. These results demonstrate the efficient synergistic effects of MIL-125 and IFR additives in improving the formation and stability of the intumescent char layer, thereby protecting ABS from intense burning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Hazard of Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites)
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Review

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27 pages, 4683 KiB  
Review
Progress in Achieving Fire-Retarding Cellulose-Derived Nano/Micromaterial-Based Thin Films/Coatings and Aerogels: A Review
by Irina Turku, Anti Rohumaa, Tapio Tirri and Lasse Pulkkinen
Fire 2024, 7(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7010031 - 16 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2805
Abstract
The enormous potential of renewable bioresources is expected to play a key role in the development of the EU’s sustainable circular economy. In this context, inexhaustible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and carbon-neutral forest-origin resources are very attractive for the development of novel sustainable products. The [...] Read more.
The enormous potential of renewable bioresources is expected to play a key role in the development of the EU’s sustainable circular economy. In this context, inexhaustible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and carbon-neutral forest-origin resources are very attractive for the development of novel sustainable products. The main structural component of wood is cellulose, which, in turn, is the feedstock of nanocellulose, one of the most explored nanomaterials. Different applications of nanocellulose have been proposed, including packaging, functional coatings, insulating materials, nanocomposites and nanohybrids manufacturing, among others. However, the intrinsic flammability of nanocellulose restricts its use in some areas where fire risk is a concern. This paper overviews the most recent studies of the fire resistance of nanocellulose-based materials, focusing on thin films, coatings, and aerogels. Along with effectiveness, increased attention to sustainable approaches is considered in developing novel fire-resistant coatings. The great potential of bio-based fire-resistant materials, combined with conventional non-halogenated fire retardants (FRs), has been established. The formulation methods, types of FRs and their action modes, and methods used for analysing fireproof are discussed in the frame of this overview. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Hazard of Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites)
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