BCC Research Flame 2008 Conference Session5

P.J. Wakelyn, National Cotton Council, Washington, DC; B. Condon, USDA, Washington, DC; R.H. Barker, American Fiber Manufacturers Association, Arlington, VA

Virtually all common textiles will ignite and burn. There are mandatory and voluntary cigarette and open-flame ignition regulations to address unreasonable fire risks associated with textile products that require them to be treated with and/or contain flame retardant chemicals to make them flame resistant. There are also national and state laws and potential legislation that affects the flame retardants that can be used as well as ignition sources (e.g., candles, cigarette lighters, and "fire safe" cigarettes). This paper will focus on the environmental implications of the use of flame retardant chemicals and is not intended to be a review of the new developments in flame retardant textiles.

11:30 a.m.-12:00 noon
Preparation Method for Flame Retardant Thermoplastic Elastomers
S. Duquesne, F. Dépinoy, C. Jama, M. Traisnel, R. Delobel, Laboratoire des Procédés d'Elaboration de Revêtements Fonctionnels (PERF) - UMR-CNRS 8008/LSPES - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille (ENSCL), Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France

The use of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) is a major growth in the market of elastomers these last years. They combine the processing characteristics of plastics at high temperatures with the physical properties of crosslinked elastomers at service temperatures. In this field, the PP/EPDM (polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene monomer) alloys, commonly referred as TPO (thermoplastic olefin) have been extensively investigated. More recently, PP and HSBR (hydrogenated styrene butadiene rubber) were found to be miscible. Consequently, their blends lead to a material presenting excellent elastic properties. However, all those systems are highly flammable. The aim of this study is to present a preparation method to flame retard TPE and to compare the results in PP/EPDM and in PP/HSBR based systems. The fire retardant properties as well as the mechanical properties of the both FR elastomers are investigated. The improvement of the fire properties are shown according to cone calorimetry. It is demonstrated that HSBR based systems are more efficient compared with EPDM. However, in both cases, the elastic properties are mainly conserved even if the elongation at break of FR materials compared with virgin elastomers is lower in the case of EPDM.

12:00 noon-1:00 p.m. Lunch

Chairman: Alexander Morgan, University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, OH

1:00-1:30 p.m.
The Regulatory Landscape for Flame Retardants
Raymond B. Dawson, Susan D. Landry, Albemarle Corporation, Baton Rouge, LA

The use of flame retardants makes a significant contribution to our safety and well being every day of our lives. Since flame retardants work in a passive mode to help prevent fires from starting and slow down the progress of fires that do start, we generally do not realize the important role they have in many of the products we use on a daily basis. In the end-use application, flame retardants delay the spread of fires or delay the time of flashover in order to enable people more time to escape the effects of the fires. The ultimate purpose of their use is to save lives, reduce injury, reduce destruction of property, and reduce local pollutants that result from fires. Despite the ability to help save lives, flame retardants have received a considerable amount of negative publicity due to perceived environmental and toxicological issues. A great deal of information is publicly available on the potential health and environmental effects of commonly used flame retardants, including EU Risk Assessments. Industry is responding to the challenge to ensure that flame retardants are sustainable. Environmental criteria alone are not sufficient to guarantee sustainable flame retardants for the future. This paper will address the current regulatory climate for flame retardants, with specific emphasis on issues that need to be addressed to ensure the sustainable us of flame retardants in the future.

1:30-2:00 p.m.
Is Upholstered Furniture a Flammable Solid?
Marcelo M. Hirschler, GBH International, Mill Valley, CA

Fire codes regulate locations containing large amounts of flammable solids as hazardous locations. Hazardous locations must comply with severe requirements in terms of construction, compartmentation and sprinkler protection. A little-known fire test, administered by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, is used to determine whether a material is a flammable solid. This test was used to assess the fire performance of a number of polyurethane foams. Results of the fire testing indicate that non fire retarded polyurethane foam is a flammable solid. This has led to considerations as to the appropriate fire protection for furniture showrooms and warehouses, as well as to code proposals. Alternate options include requirements that all polyurethane foams used in upholstered furniture be fire retarded. The present work discusses recent developments.

2:00-2:30 p.m.
Comparison of Smoke, Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide Emission from Natural and Man-made Polymeric Materials
Dorota Wesolek, Ryszard Kozlowski, Institute of Natural Fibres, Poznan, Poland

The inherent elements of thermal decomposition and combustion of materials is a smoke which reduces visibility and toxic gases contained in the smoke. The paper presents the results of studies of the emission of smoke, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from natural and synthetic fabrics (flax, cotton, wool, hemp, polyacrylic, polyester), lignocellulosic materials (wood, chipboard, fibreboard), polyurethane foam and polypropylene. The flammability measurements were carried out using a cone calorimeter at exposition to heat fluxes of 25, 35 and 50 kW/m². Moreover, the influence of air-flow intensity on the formation of smoke, carbon monoxide and dioxide was investigated. Three air-flow intensities used were: 0,015, 0,024 and 0,035 m³/s.

2:30-3:00 p.m.
Effect of Specimen Size on Test Results Obtained in the Cone Calorimeter
M. Janssens, A. Faw, J. Huczek, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX

The Cone Calorimeter is the most widely used laboratory-scale oxygen consumption calorimeter to obtain piloted ignition, heat release and smoke production data of materials and products. The method is described in ASTM E 1354, ISO 5660-1 (ignition and heat release rate) and ISO 5660-2 (smoke production rate.) Both ASTM and ISO developing a modified version of the Cone Calorimeter test standard for materials of low combustibility. The most significant change in the modified version is the specimen size, i.e. a 150 × 150 mm specimen is used instead of the standard 100 × 100 mm. Six products were tested according to the standard and proposed modified Cone Calorimeter test methods. Tests were performed at heat flux levels of 25, 50 and 75 kW/m2 resulting in peak heat release rates ranging between 6 and 565 kW/m2. The specimen size appears to have a significant effect on the time to ignition and the heat release and smoke production rate per unit area, in particular at lower heat fluxes. However, the effect is not always consistent between different materials. This paper provides an overview of the test results that were obtained and presents the major trends that were observed.

3:00-3:30 p.m.
Laboratory Scale Testing of Nanocomposite Intumescent Coatings
Claudio Pagella, Iris Vernici, Basaluzzo, Italy; Fabienne Samyn, Serge Bourbigot, Laboratoire Procédés d'Elaboration des Revêtements Fonctionnels (PERF), LSPES - UMR/CNRS 8008, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille (ENSCL), Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France

Commercial formulations of waterborne clear (CHAR 17) and white (CHAR 21) coatings were evaluated in terms of resistance to fire in comparison with novel formulations obtained by adding nanoparticles. Nanoclays including both untreated and surface treated sepiolite and cloisite were used. The evaluation was done using a small scale test (the so-called heat radiator test) developed to make comparative estimations of the behaviour in the event of fire of intumescent paints for the protection of wood substrates. It measures temperature profile as a function of time on the backside of the material. Both vertical and horizontal sample designs were tested. While some samples showed a strong depletion of the expansion ratio or a loss of transparency, properly optimised formulations displayed a significant improvement of the insulation capacity, the reduction of temperature on the unexposed side and a longer time to burning. An improved char strength was generally observed. The equipment proved to provide a repeatable, simple and reliable test method to study the influence of addition of clays to the coating system and for product development and optimization purposes.

<< Home << Return to Top Registration >>