Study of the Efficiency of Two Antipyrenes for the Creation of Fireproof Polymeric Composite Materials

Most of polymeric materials, when exposed to high temperatures, heat flows or an open flame, are capable of exothermic oxidation reactions – combustion. That is why polymeric materials are fire hazardous. The studies on creating a non-flammable polymer materials are crucial, as such products can make our everyday life a lot more safe. Studies have been carried out to assess the effectiveness of the action of two types of fire retardants (graphene and an organic phosphorus-containing compound DOPO-THPO), introduced into an epoxy resin. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the fire-retardant action was carried out by the methods of oxygen index (OI) and flammability according to UL 94. For the investigated compositions, it was found that there is no direct correlation between the value of the oxygen index and the ability of the samples to maintain self-combustion. For these compositions, the total duration of residual combustion in vertical tests and the speed of flame propagation in horizontal tests are naturally correlated. It was found that if the total duration of combustion of five samples during vertical tests is 500 seconds or less, then these compositions during horizontal tests will fade, that is, formally, their flame propagation speed will be equal to zero

Improvement of Methodology for Assessing Fire-Protective Efficiency of Intumescent Coatings Applied on Metal Constructions

The article observes the possibility and feasibility of introducing new and improved methodology for assessing the performance of fire retardant intumescent coatings for steel structures. The results of a comparative assessment of coatings based on a set of parameters obtained in laboratory conditions are presented: swelling coefficient, adhesion coefficient, adhesion of the coating system under high temperature conditions, kinetic parameters of thermolysis, thermal insulation. The smallscale laboratory test was developed to evaluate thermal insulating ability of 4 intumescent coatings applied to small steel plates. An improvement of the control method for assessing the fire retardant efficiency of intumescent coatings is proposed – instead of one test plate with dimensions of 600x600x5 mm with intumescent coating applied, a design of a metal frame-holder is proposed, in which 4 plates with dimensions of 300x300x5 mm can be fixed, and a set of thermocouples can be installed on each of them; all 4 plates are heated in the same conditions, thus the contradictions which may occur between the results of separate experiments are avoided. Such improvements made in the methodology of investigating the properties of intumescent coatings appeared to be fruitful, as correlation can be established between the laboratory tests and large-scale tests