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Author
Gilman, J. W. | Kashiwagi, T. | Nyden, M. R. | Harris, R. H., Jr.
Title
New Flame Retardants Consortium: Flame Retardant Mechanism of Silica. Final Report.
File
  1. get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=912023
Coporate
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
Report
NISTIR 6357, June 1999, 28 p.
Keywords
flame retardants | fire retardants | silica
Abstract
The results of a two year research project carried out with the "New Flame Retardants Consortium" are reported. This investigation into the flame retardant mechanism of silica gel and other forms of silica has determined that the silica FR mechanism is comprised of two main effects. The first is a reduction in the transport rate of the thermal degradation products by dramatically increasing the viscosity of the polymer melt due to hydrogen bonding of surface silanol groups and entanglement of polymer chains within the large pores of silica gel. Second is the reduction in thermal diffusivity of the sample near the surface due to gradual accumulation of silica, which acts as a thermal insulation layer.