- Author
-
Kashiwagi, T.
|
Omori, A.
- Title
- Effects of Polymer Characteristics on Flammability Properties.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NISTIR 4449,
- Book or Conf
- U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 11th Joint Panel Meeting. October 19-24, 1989,
Berkeley, CA,
Jason, N. H.; Cramer, D. M., Editors,
54-62 p.,
1990
- Keywords
-
flammability
|
pilot ignition
|
flame spread
|
heat release rate
|
thermal stability
|
surface temperature
- Abstract
- The effects of material characteristics on piloted ignition, horizontal flame spreading, and heat release rate were studied by using two different polystyrene, PS, samples and two different poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, samples. The difference between the two PS samples was melt visosity due to two different initial molecular weights and that between the two PMMA samples was thermal stability and melt viscosity also due to two different initial molecular weights. The results indicate that thermal stability of the material has significant effects on piloted ignition delay time, flame spread rate and heat release rate. The effects of melt viscosity, the transport of indepth degradation products through the molten polymer layer inside the sample, are negligible on piloted ignition. However, they are significant on horizontal flame spreading behavior and reduce its rate by forming opposed slow fluid motion of molten polymer along the inclined vaporizing surface against the traveling flame front.